Everything I Ever Dreamed
by x-EmilyTennant-x
Summary: Will Rose destroy two worlds for the man she loves? How far will she go? What happens when she gets trapped, for good? And the Time War? Not your average reunion fic. 10R, uses 'Song for Ten' in first chap. Plenty of fluff later on. Now complete!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I was going to dedicate this to someone, but I couldn't think of who. So, this story is dedicated to every Doctor Who fan out there, especially those who ship Ten/Rose. **

**Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Doctor Who, but I will one day!**

Chapter One.

It had started out like your average sort of day and the Doctor wasn't expecting anything special to happen. Just another day, saving the world with Donna and Martha in tow, just like every other day.

_Well I woke up today  
And the world was a restless place  
It could have been that way for me_

A couple of aliens trying to take over the local golf course because they were convinced it was sacred land. Dealt with them pretty quickly and then Martha had spoken up.

"Seeing as we're already in town, can we have a bit of a shop?"

Donna had agreed. "I need some new clothes, 'specially as my favourite shirt got absorbed thanks to you!"

The Doctor scowled and followed the two women around as they went into shop after shop, trying on endless clothes. In the end he made excuses that he needed to find a loo.  
_  
And I wandered around  
And I thought of your face  
That Christmas looking back at me_

And as he wandered, thinking of that one human girl he could never forget, he felt something. He couldn't be sure… Was it just his imagination? No, he could feel it in the air. Someone nearby had just used an Ionic Extirpation Beam. The Doctor stopped, looking around for the source. Ionic Extirpation Beams were used years ago for crossing parallel Universes, but they'd all been destroyed in the Time War. Whatever had just landed here must be human, as he couldn't sense a Time Lord. Ionic Extirpation Beams were dangerous though, and he could already feel this Earth beginning to splinter.

And then he saw her. Turning around he saw a blonde girl, holding a long white rod. An Ionic Extirpation Beam. "Rose," he whispered as she staggered slightly and started to walk. She was only fifty feet away but the Doctor was frozen to the spot, and she was walking in the opposite direction, not having seen him yet. The Doctor's face broke into a wide grin as he realised Rose was back, and he was about to hold her again. He'd never felt so happy and desperate to cry all at once.

_I wish today was just like every other day  
'Cause today has been the best day  
Everything I ever dreamed  
_

The Doctor regained control of his legs and began to walk, pushing his way through the crowds and his eyes scanning for a glimpse of Rose. There she was, waiting to cross the road. He broke into a sprint and stopped several feet behind her, breathing heavily.

_And I started to walk  
Pretty soon I will run  
And I'll come running back to you_

Rose started crossing the road and the Doctor followed behind her, using every ounce of willpower he had not to sweep her up there and then. Sunlight bounced off her blonde hair and she looked like a star. His golden star.

_'Cause I followed my star  
And that's what you are  
I've had a merry time with you  
_

They reached the other side of the road and still Rose hadn't seen him. He glanced up and saw the dark clouds forming quickly, and a long black line in the sky. The world was cracking open, and where the bloody hell was Rose going?! She'd turned off into a dark alleyway which looked awfully like the one he'd parked the TARDIS in…

Ah, there she was; hidden in the dark shadowy corner. And Rose walked straight up to it, pulling her key out from under her shirt. How had she known where it was? Oh, she'd attached a Trans-Temporal Volta-Wave Detector to the Ionic Extirpation Beam. Brilliant! The Doctor grinned happily as he watched her working up the courage to open the TARDIS. Oh, he'd missed her…

_I wish today was just like every other day...  
'Cause today has been the best day  
Everything I ever dreamed_

And the world split. Screams filled the air and the Doctor was thrown to the ground as the Earth heaved and writhed in agony beneath him. He could almost feel the planet itself screaming. Rose had also been knocked to the ground with a yelp and the Doctor crawled over to her as she tried to stand. He clasped her hand and she spun around to face him, shock written all over her face.

"Doctor," she whispered.

"You have to go, Rose," he said softly as they both got to their feet. "I told you, you could never come back. Our two worlds are colliding and being sucked into each other and are going to collapse into the Void. If anyone actually survives the process of being sucked through the whole of creation and then being thrown into the Void, then they'll have a fate worse than death. Floating around in nothingness, for longer than eternity."

"I've destroyed everything, haven't I." It wasn't a question, it was a statement and the Doctor couldn't lie to her so he simply nodded sadly and took her into his arms.

"If it's any consolation," he whispered into her hair, "I've missed you."

Rose laughed sadly and buried her head in his chest. "Isn't there something you can do?"

"I mended it last time," he said quietly. "But I can't do it again. You have to go. Use the Ionic Extirpation Beam to take you to another Universe, not Pete's, to a completely new one. If you go now, then I might just have enough time to heal the crack you make in that one before I…"

There was no need to finish that sentence. Rose knew what she'd done; that she'd condemned two worlds to death and destruction with no chance of survival. All to see one man, just once more. And now she'd kill him also. She stepped back from him, letting the tears fall freely from her eyes as she set new coordinates on the Beam. She held it tightly and looked at the Doctor for one last time, finger poised over the button that would take her away to safety. The Doctor smiled at her, a small and sad smile, knowing he'd never see her again but she'd at least be safe.

_So have a good life  
Do it for me  
Make me so proud  
Like you want me to be  
_

_Wherever you are  
I'm thinking of you _

_Oceans apart  
I want you to know  
_

And then she was gone. The Doctor sealed the small crack she'd created in the new world she'd gone to and then he raced off to find Donna and Martha. People all around him were screaming, calling out for loved ones, dying. Some were being sucked straight from the ground into the black line in the stormy sky, some were suffocating, some just fading away. He saw Donna and Martha, clinging to each other and staring around wildly, searching for him and he ran to them. They were his responsibility.

"What's goin' on?" Donna demanded. "What's happening?!"

"I'm sorry," he whispered as rain began to pelt down at them, plastering hair across their faces. "I'm so sorry…"

And he lived. Once again, a world destroyed and he survived. It was the Time War all over, and he'd never meant to live. He'd wanted to die, but here he was. Alone, on some far off planet in the sky, watching as the last of the Earth burnt. Everyone was gone; the Jones family, Donna's parents, millions of strangers. Heck, even Jackie, Pete, Mickey. All on another world, all dead. But Rose was safe, even if he couldn't see her again.

_Well I woke up today and you're on the other side  
Our time will never come again  
But if you can still dream  
Close your eyes it will seem  
That you can see me now and then  
_

It struck him as ironic that once again he hadn't found the chance to tell Rose his feelings for her. He truly was the Time Lord with a lack of time. And now he'd never have another chance. But still, he thought, at least they'd been together, even if it was short-lived.

_I wish today was just like every other day...  
'Cause today has been the best day  
Everything I ever dreamed_

I wish today was just like every other day...  
'Cause today has been the best day  
Everything I ever dreamed…

**Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two.

The TARDIS was gone, sucked away into nothingness with two worlds, condemned by Rose Tyler. The Doctor curled up on the ground and cried. He lost all sense of time as he lay there, anguish pouring from him in burning rivulets. He was so sick and tired of surviving, time and time again. He wanted to cut his wrists. He'd seen humans do it plenty of times, and maybe it took away the pain. He shrugged that thought away fairly quickly, deeming it pointless. Where would it get him anyway? Bloodstains on his favourite suit. No, he couldn't have that.

Hold on, what was that? The Doctor sat up, sniffing and wiping the tears from his face. He could hear footsteps and he didn't want anyone seeing him, the Last of the Time Lords, like this. He got to his feet and glanced around.

"Who's there?" he called, hoping his voice didn't betray the recent tears. "Come on, show yourself!"

It was disconcerting, having been flung to a far off planet which was completely uninhabited, yet hearing footsteps in the dark. It was cold, dusty, and more like a moon than a planet but nevertheless… what was out there?

"Hello?" he tried again. "Look, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here by accident; I was thrown here through the force of two worlds collapsing. I dunno how or why I survived, but I was the only one, so please. Come out and I promise not to hurt you."

Whatever it was clearly hadn't been convinced as it still didn't show, yet he heard it shuffling about in the dusty darkness.

"C'mon, don't be afraid. I'm alone here too."

Still nothing. The Doctor sighed wearily and threw up his hands in a gesture of defeat. He sat down on a dusty white rock and began to hum. After several minutes of humming he realised there was a soft giggle coming from the shadows. Whatever the thing was, it was clearly amused by his humming.

"I'll have you know," the Doctor called out, "that in my younger days I did a duet with Louis Armstrong. The crowd were absolutely screaming."

The thing sniggered.

"Fine," the Doctor grumbled. "So they were screaming for me to shut up, but still. At least I tried."

Time passed, and they sat in silence. The Doctor continued humming and 'The Thing', as he'd now named it, sat quietly. The Doctor sighed; he was quite content for The Thing to remain hidden as he'd realised it wasn't trying to kill him, but he'd rather like to chat. Just for the pure sake of distraction from his thoughts.

"So, Thing," he said conversationally. "Come here often?"

No answer.

"If I still had my ship I'd ask you out for a coffee, but I'm kinda stuck here."

Silence.

"Fine, let me tell you a story," the Doctor said from his position on the rock. "It all started several years ago when I was having some trouble with the Nestene Consciousness. Heard of it? Nah, didn't think so. Anyway, thought it'd be easy. Blow up a building, that's it. Then this stupid ape girl got in the way…"

He talked, and he talked, finding it easier with each word he spoke. It was good to get all of this out, and The Thing was a great listener. It was somehow reassuring to talk to the darkness, knowing something friendly (or so he was assuming) was sitting there in the shadows. The Doctor told The Thing all about the different adventures and predicaments he and Rose had gotten into together, and The Thing sat patiently when tears took over. The Doctor had never enjoyed crying when he wasn't alone, but he felt comfortable in the presence of The Thing.

Soon he was talking about the day he lost Rose, and he sobbed his hearts out before finishing the story. He talked about how he burnt up a sun to say goodbye, how he spent every night crying until he had no energy left and literally collapsed. And finally, he said it. Spoke the words he'd never said to Rose, but could say it to The Thing.

"I loved her. Still do. All those times I should've told her and I… I just didn't. I'm a fool."

The Doctor sighed. "So Thing, what am I supposed to do? Live out my days here, on this rock, with something silent and invisible for company? Glamorous end for the last Time Lord, eh? It seems all legends die miserable. Casanova, the world's greatest lover apart from me, died alone in a cold castle's library. Some thanks we get for being fantastic."

Still silence from The Thing, so the Doctor kept talking.

"I dunno Thing, sometimes I wonder what the point of life is. The point of existence. Why? Why do we exist? Tell me Thing… 'Cause I don't know anymore."

And for the first time The Thing broke the silence. Slightly muffled ragged breathing, as though The Thing were trying not to cry…

"Thing? You alright?" The Doctor peered into the shadows, concern in his voice.

And with a strangled sob 'The Thing' emerged from the darkness and the Doctor nearly fainted.

**A/N: Who, or what, do you reckon The Thing is?? Any guesses? A big hug to anyone who guesses it correctly, so please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed. And big hugs to all of you, because you all guessed it correct.**

**Chapter Three.**

Rose Tyler stood before him. She'd been there the whole time; she was The Thing. But it wasn't Rose Tyler as the Doctor knew her. No, this woman was someone else. As she stood in front of him, tears coursing down her cheeks, the Doctor couldn't help but stare. She was clearly several years older, aged somewhere around twenty-nine, maybe even thirty. And she was pregnant.

"R-Rose…" the Doctor said, testing the name. It didn't feel right, saying that name whilst staring at this woman. This stranger.

"Doctor," she whispered. "Oh my God, you've no idea how long I've been waiting for you…"

"You're pregnant." It was all he could manage to say, no other words coming into his mind. Rose nodded sadly. Her hair was a lot longer now, a bit longer than when they'd first met. It trailed down her shoulders in long golden tendrils, and her hands rested lightly on the swollen stomach.

"Whose baby is it?" he asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer. "Who's the father?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said with a bitter laugh.

"Try me."

She sighed. "I'd better start at the beginning then."

"A very good place to start," the Doctor said, a weak smile on his face. Rose fiddled nervously with her sleeves and took a deep breath.

"Well, you remember when you told me I couldn't stay, and I used that Beam to take me away?"

The Doctor nodded. "That was only a few hours ago for me."

"Well, that's when it all started…"

----

_Rose Tyler landed heavily on the ground, the Beam falling beside her. She waited for the nausea to pass before carefully getting to her feet and picking up the white rod that had brought her here. This journey had been a lot bumpier and somewhat painful, probably due to the rushed circumstances. She glanced around her, relieved that she'd landed in an empty field this time, rather than the middle of the city. She began to walk, admiring how pretty the scenery was. It was all very green with cows grazing in the lush pastures. _

_She soon reached a dirt road and climbed over the field's wooden fence. Walking along it Rose realised she must have missed London and had landed in the countryside. After roughly an hour Rose arrived in a picturesque little village. The houses and shops were all very small, and it was all rather old-fashioned… And the people walking through the streets were dressed in very old-fashioned clothes too…_

"_Shit," she muttered to herself as the locals gathered to stare at her. She must've hit the wrong time period. It was clearly around the 18__th__ century, and she was wearing 21__st__ century jeans and a rather low-cut top. She glanced at a nearby farmer who was holding a pitchfork and eyeing her suspiciously and realised she'd better get out of sight. It was a small country town, and she wondered if they still believed in burning witches at the stake…_

_Suddenly she spotted her saviour. A tall man with curly white hair stalked out of a nearby cottage. He was unusually dressed, even for these times, wearing a red velvet jacket, frilly white shirt, and well pressed black trousers. He walked straight over to Rose and took her arm in his, guiding her purposefully back into the cottage, slamming the door behind him. Rose winced as the whole building shook and then the man turned to face her._

"_Well, that was awfully silly of you," he said with a slight lisp. He looked her up and down, and Rose felt as though his eyes were x-rays. "You really ought to have changed into appropriate clothing before waltzing into the village."_

"_I…" she tried, but faltered under his penetrating stare and tears filled her eyes._

"_Oh, come now," he said, tone softening and patting her on the back. "There's no need for a waterworks display, my dear. Can you tell me your name?"_

"_R-Rose," she said, sniffing away the tears. "Rose Tyler."_

"_Well, Miss Tyler," he said, shaking her hand warmly. "I am the Doctor."_

_Rose leapt backwards in surprise and promptly tripped over a chair. The man claiming to be the Doctor watched in mild amusement as she pulled herself to her feet and attempted to regain some composure._

"_You can't be the Doctor," she said matter-of-factly. "This is… he… no."_

"_No?"_

"_No," Rose said firmly. "You are _not_ the Doctor."_

"_Well, I'm afraid I am," he said, feigning regret as he took hold of her hand. "I assume you travel with me then?"_

"_Um," Rose stammered._

"_That's alright," the Doctor said reassuringly. "You must be from my future as I don't seem to recognise you. You may, or may not be aware, but I am a Time Lord."_

_Rose nodded. "Yeah, regenerating and all that. I know."_

"_This is my third body," the Doctor explained. "I clearly have not met you yet, and you travel with a future me."_

"_Yeah, must be," Rose muttered, not daring to tell him the truth._

"_Something is bothering you, child," he said softly, his deep and ancient gaze meeting her fearful eyes. "What is it?"_

"_I…" she started. "I'm from another world. A parallel universe."_

"_Ah, I see," the Doctor said, nodding. "So I am not your Doctor, not even in the future."_

_Rose shook her head. "And my Doctor is dead. I killed him."_

_She broke into uncontrollable sobs now, and the Doctor pulled her towards him, holding her tightly against his chest as she cried and whispering words of comfort. _

"_Will you tell me about it?" he asked once her sobs had broken off and she stood, wiping the tears from her cheeks._

"_I can't," she said softly, tears still threatening to spill from her eyes. "It hurts. And I'm trapped here now, I can't go back."_

"_Oh, not necessarily," the Doctor said with a smile. "I'm sure I could find a way to get you back."_

"_No, you don't understand!" she said tearfully. "My universe is gone. Ripped apart and destroyed. Sucked into the Void in a million pieces."_

"_Ah, I see," the Doctor said and, after a pause, "Well then, I can see only one option. Would you care to travel with me, Miss Tyler?"_

"_I…" _

"_I can see it as my responsibility to take care of you now."_

_After a moment's hesitation Rose nodded. "Okay."_

_----_

"You what?!" the Doctor shouted and Rose winced. "You agreed to travel with me? Him? Why?"

"I had nowhere else to go," she said, willing him to understand. "I had no one, and I was trapped in a tiny village in the past. He was kind, and he was offering to take care of me. I was only planning to stay until I got back on my feet."

"I take it that you ended up staying longer than intended?" he asked darkly, and Rose nodded. "Tell me what happened next."

"Please don't hate me," she whispered. "It wasn't my fault…"

"What happened?" the Doctor demanded, almost snarling the words.

Rose sighed sadly and looked at the ground. "I fell in love with him."

**TBC…**

**Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you to all those who reviewed last chapter, and I hope to see even more reviews for this one!**

**Also, I have nothing against Tony Blair, or Cornwall. (There's a tiny mention of them in this chapter, please don't take offence.)**

**Disclaimer: I WILL own Doctor Who one day, but not yet.**

**Chapter Four.**

The Doctor was still reeling with shock from this piece of information when Rose reached out to touch him. He pulled away, ignoring the look of hurt on her face. _"I fell in love with him." _How could she? How could Rose Tyler, _his_ Rose, fall in love with a parallel Doctor?

"Why?" he said at last, turning to face her. "What was better about him?"

"Nothing was _better_!" Rose protested. "I thought you were dead, I knew I couldn't ever see you again, and he was nice. He treated me the way you did, he showed me incredible things."

"Oh, I'll bet he did," the Doctor said scornfully, eyeing Rose's heavily pregnant stomach.

She threw up her hands in defeat. "Well if you won't even hear me out…"

"Fine," the Doctor said sharply. "Tell me the rest."

----

_Rose Tyler travelled with the Doctor, the parallel Doctor and began to see differences immediately. But she also saw similarities, such as the gleam in his eyes when he talked about the stars, or other planets he'd visited. The way he always kept an eye on her when they had an adventure, always making sure she was safe. This Doctor was a true gentleman, always polite and considerate. He didn't press the point of her past, or why she had such sadness in her eyes, knowing that she'd tell him when the time was right. But the strongest similarity she found was their hands. He would offer Rose his hand and when she held it she wanted to cry. They fit together so well, so perfectly. To hold his hand felt… fantastic._

_They went to all sorts of planets; they raced through the Vortex with yells of excitement; they got chased by aliens, and they escaped. All of this, together, holding hands. He even took her to Barcelona, the planet, where dogs had no noses. They never tired of that joke, and would laugh about it endlessly. But then came the night, and with it the memories. So easy to hold them back during the day, but when darkness set in and all was quiet, the vivid memories would strike Rose Tyler. _

_She'd lie awake for hours, but when she could fight sleep no longer, the terror would begin. Tossing and turning, screaming and crying. The Doctor would run into her room and hold her, gently stroking her hair and comforting her. Some nights he feared she'd never wake up, that the nightmares would consume her. He'd shake her, call her name, beg her to wake up and respond. But the terror would be so strong, she wouldn't even hear him. The screaming inside her head would drown out anything else, and it wasn't until she'd watched everyone die inside her mind that she'd finally come to, distraught and shaking, unable to even speak. _

_The Doctor would then hold her until the shivering subsided, until her breathing returned to normal, and then he'd let her fall asleep in his arms and stay with her. He'd watch her to make sure she slept soundly, and help to fight off any more horrific recollections of her past._

_He'd watch her during the day, noticing her feeble attempts to hide her exhaustion and lack of sleep. She'd laugh and smile, but her eyes had dark shadows beneath them. They'd have a fantastic time fighting for what was right, defending all the planets out there, and they'd have a great laugh about all the times they nearly didn't escape. But the Doctor knew that she was being haunted, and he dreaded the nights almost as much as she. Being a Time Lord he didn't need as much sleep as Rose, for which he was grateful as it meant he could doze with one eye open, ready to help chase away the bad dreams and sit with her when she cried. He'd stay up all night with this human girl and never leave her side if she asked, for she had captured his hearts and he knew that he'd always do his best to protect her._

_----_

"It was always the same with me," the Doctor interjected and Rose glared at him.

"D'you mind not interrupting while I'm telling the story?" she snapped.

"But I'm just saying," he pressed, "that I'd always have stayed with you if I could, and I always did everything in my power to protect you. We shared the same times, everything."

"I know," Rose sighed. "But you never saw me having nightmares like that. I couldn't fight them."

"If I'd been there, I would've done the same."

"I know," Rose said sadly. "But you weren't there. And he was. Now can I keep telling the story?"

"S'pose," he agreed grudgingly and Rose continued.

----

_She'd been with the Doctor for several years now, travelling like she'd done before on her own world. During their occasional stops on earth Rose would visit libraries and scour history books to find the differences from her own world. She found out that in this universe Tony Blair had been Prime Minister in the seventies and had turned out to be a terrorist. The town of Cornwall didn't exist, and there was a worldwide shortage of salt. Rose found this quite hilarious, but the Doctor couldn't see what was so amusing._

_It was on Rose Tyler's twenty-sixth birthday that things changed. The Doctor had presented her with a beautiful gold watch from a tiny planet called Appigar Minor, somewhere in the Skala System. On the underside of the watch's face a message had been inscribed. It read, _"Every second that ticks by, I will be here."_ Rose couldn't stop the tears from forming in her eyes as she flung her arms around the Doctor's neck, holding him in a tight hug. He looked quite pleased when she pulled away and immediately fastened the gold watch around her wrist._

_Then he took her out to an expensive birthday dinner; his treat. They sat in the restaurant with soft music playing and candles casting a golden glow about the place. The Doctor was wearing his trademark outfit: a velvet jacket (royal blue this evening), crisp black trousers and frilly white shirt. He looked quite handsome, Rose thought, even though he was old. He looked about sixty-five years old, but Rose had to remember that he was in actual fact close to 900. _

_The Doctor couldn't take his eyes off Rose as they ate dinner. She was wearing a deep red dress that swept the floor, sparkling in the soft light. Her golden hair was loose, cascading down her shoulders in gentle waves and her eyes were sparkling. It was so nice to see her completely happy and smiling. _

_They finished their dinner and wandered back to the TARDIS. Rose looked up at it, studying the exterior. Unlike the TARDIS on her home world, this one actually had a working Chameleon Circuit and changed everytime they landed. At the moment it resembled a small garden shed, sitting in an empty lot. The Doctor unlocked the door and Rose followed him inside, kicking off the expensive shoes and wriggling her feet. _

"_Thank you so much for tonight, Doctor," Rose said softly as he fiddled with co-ordinates on the TARDIS console. This one had straight panels, and the interior was white and somewhat medical looking unlike the TARDIS she was used to._

"_It's not a problem," he said, avoiding her eyes. "It's your birthday, and you deserve a special celebration."_

"_But really," she said, stepping over to him and resting a hand on his shoulder. "It means a lot to me, and I really enjoyed it."_

_The Doctor stood to his full height and gazed down tenderly at Rose. He took her hands in his and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek._

"_It was my pleasure," he said with a small smile. "I'd do the same every day, if just for the small joy of seeing your face light up."_

_Suddenly a battleground erupted inside Rose's mind. One half of her was screaming to kiss the Doctor, while the other screamed that he was an old man. She immediately shook this thought away; her old Doctor was the same age, in fact older. His face just appeared younger. And with that, she leaned forward and kissed the Doctor, ever so gently on his lips. She pulled back, waiting anxiously for his reaction. To her relief he didn't yell, or look disturbed. Instead he smiled._

"_I've waited a long time for that," he said quietly, before leaning down and returning the kiss…_

**TBC…**

**Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ba-da-boom! Thanks for all for reviews so far, keep 'em coming! **

**Now, how different is the parallel Doctor and his world after all? Read on and find out!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it. Can't be bothered repeating this every chapter so, for all future chapters, I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! Anguished sob**

**Chapter Five.**

"I don't think I want to know any more than that," the Doctor said scornfully and Rose glared at him.

"It wasn't like we were just getting it on for the hell of it," she hissed. "He loved me. And you know what? I loved him. Deal with it."

"Why are you talking past tense?" the Doctor asked, ignoring her comment. "And where is he? If he loves you so much, why isn't he here? Hmm?"

Tears welled in Rose's eyes and the Doctor immediately softened. "Rose, I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm being like this."

"J-Just so you know," Rose said tearfully. "I never loved him the way I loved you. It was always different, 'cause I always remembered you. It felt like I was… I dunno, betraying you."

"Where is he?" the Doctor asked softly. "What happened Rose?"

"Daleks," she whispered. "Always the Daleks…"

----

_Rose skipped out of the TARDIS, practically dragging the reluctant Doctor along. She looked around, gob-smacked at the beauty of this place. Everything was so perfect, green and lush, skies blue and cloudless. Exotic birds were singing in the towering trees and Rose gaped as she stared around in wonder. Oh, she'd never seen so many trees…_

"_So this is what it was like, before people came?" she asked the Doctor._

"_No," the Doctor corrected. "This is Australia, before Europeans came here. And I only want to stay a very short while as we need to do some repairs on the TARDIS."_

"_No Global Warming," Rose whispered as she looked at the vast glittering ocean and clear skies. "No pollution, no logging, no… How would you describe it? Doctor?"_

_She glanced around and furrowed her brow. The Doctor was standing stock-still, completely unmoving and staring at something in the distance. Rose spun around and saw what he was staring at, fear filling her body. She'd heard stories about natives from all sorts of countries becoming violent, and if she'd expected the Indigenous Australians to be frightening then she was wrong. Oh, so wrong. Because there, emerging from the trees, was something much more terrifying. An army of Daleks were gliding swiftly towards them, and Rose gaped in horror._

"_Doctor," she said quietly, taking a step backwards. "The TARDIS. Let's get in the TARDIS and go, now. Before they reach us."_

"_Rose," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. "If we go, and leave them here, then everyone in this country will be slaughtered."_

"_But the Europeans will come here anyway, one day," Rose said urgently, taking another step back. The Doctor looked scandalised. _

"_Rose, I will pretend I did not hear that. No, you go and wait for me in the TARDIS."_

"_What, like you reckon I'll leave you here alone to face a couple hundred Daleks?"_

_He shot her a look. "You know of the Daleks?"_

"_Fought 'em with my old Doctor, back home."_

"_I see." _

_They were getting closer, closer, ever closer and struck terror into the three hearts on the beach. Rose knew how easy it would be to run, to hide. She was sorely tempted, and realised how much she'd changed over the years. When she'd been with her old Doctor she would never have considered it. But watching everything you knew be destroyed, everyone you loved dying, it didn't seem to matter if another population was wiped out. Rose shook her head. No, she couldn't think like that. She had to stay and fight, protect this small country that was just beginning._

_And then they were there. They stopped; several hundred Daleks covered the sweeping white beach, and they waited. At last one Dalek swept forward and spoke._

"_Senses report that you are the Doctor."_

"_That is correct," the Doctor spoke, his voice wavering slightly. "I would ask one favour: that my companion here is allowed to retreat first."_

"_I'm not goin' anywhere," Rose said firmly and the Doctor visibly stiffened. _

"_Doctor," the Dalek said in its robotic voice. "You have been eluding us, your comrades in war, for much time now. Why did you run?"_

"_Because I don't want to do this any longer," the Doctor said loudly and Rose felt thoroughly confused. Suddenly it clicked._

"_Oh my God," she said, turning to face the Doctor. "You're working for them? Why?"_

"_Because," the Doctor said quickly, facing her also, "they promised to spare the lives of my loved ones if I helped them."_

"_What, and you actually believe them?" _

"_Doctor," the Dalek interrupted. "You promised us information, straight from the Citadel. Do you have it?"_

_The Dalek's eyestalk swung around to peer at Rose before swinging back to face the Doctor. Silence. The Dalek rolled forward slightly, clearly not afraid. Rose realised she'd been wrong; there was hardly anything this world had in common with hers, and this Doctor was a completely different man._

"_I have no new information," the Doctor said at last. "And what news do you have for me?"_

"_We will not share any information until we gain some in return."_

"_Please," the Doctor said, his voice almost a whisper. "Is my family safe? My friends?"_

_There was a long pause before the Dalek finally spoke. "This is war, Doctor. Your people against ours, and there is no room for sentiment."_

"_But you promised," the Doctor said urgently. "You promised to look out for my loved ones, to protect them. Please, tell me they're safe. I beg you!"_

"_We were not there," the Dalek said in its emotionless voice. "We were fleeing for our own lives. We could not stop it."_

"_You killed them?" the Doctor demanded, an almost pleading note in his voice. "You didn't…"_

"_We did not. The Time Lords did."_

"_What…"_

"_The Time Lords killed them. We did not."_

"_I don't understand," the Doctor said, tears filling his eyes. "It can't be true… Why would they do such a thing?"_

"_They needed information on your whereabouts," the Dalek said. "Your family would not say, so the Time Lords killed them. There was no sense in keeping them."_

"_No," the Doctor said, falling to his knees. "No…"_

"_One survived," the Dalek croaked and the Doctor looked up hopefully, tears glistening in his eyes._

"_What did you say?"_

"_One survived."_

"_Who? Who was it?"_

"_The Daleks took him, and questioned him also. You promised us information, promised to work for us. You fled. He would not speak of where you were."_

"_WHO WAS IT?" the Doctor screamed and Rose jumped backwards slightly._

"_Your only friend," the Dalek said and Rose could have sworn she heard a hint of a smirk in that robotic voice._

"_Master," the Doctor whispered. "Is he safe? Did you keep him alive?"_

"_He escaped," the Dalek said. "And we had a covenant, Doctor."_

_Rose felt dread filling her body and knew what was to come. _

"_You promised the Daleks information. You have no information. You are worthless, Doctor. You will be__exterminated."_

"_Not likely," Rose scoffed and held up her wrist, pointing to the gold watch the Doctor had given her. "See this watch? The Doctor gave me this for my birthday. I dunno whether or not he realised it at the time, but this watch ain't ordinary."_

"_What is the point of this distraction?" the Dalek demanded._

"_The point is this," Rose countered smugly. She stepped close to the Doctor and pressed a button on the watch. A transparent shield flew from the watch's face and engulfed Rose and the Doctor._

"_Exterminate! Exterminate!" It was terrifying, hearing hundreds of Daleks chorusing that word and shooting beams of deadly light, but it was quite satisfying to see the lasers being repelled by the shield._

"_Right," Rose said brightly to the Doctor. "Let's go, shall we?"_

_And Rose took the hand of the terrified Time Lord and led him back into the TARDIS. To safety._

_----_

Rose watched as the Doctor struggled to take in all this new information.

"He was working with the Daleks… Friends with the Master… I don't understand…"

"Doctor, he's a different man," Rose said softly. "You have to remember that. Those people, that world, all of it is _completely_ different. You don't know any of it."

"But…" the Doctor was thinking heavily and his brow was furrowed. "War… That must mean… the Time War! Oh Rose, is that what they meant?"

The Doctor had leapt to his feet, a crazed look in his eyes and Rose was momentarily frightened. She nodded, tears coming to her eyes.

"The Time War," she whispered. "And I was there."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "You… what?"

"I fought in the Time War, Doctor," Rose said loudly. The Doctor watched as she opened her mouth to say something else but was cut off by a gasp. She doubled over in pain, clutching at her stomach and the Doctor was immediately by her side.

"The baby," she whispered, looking at the Doctor fearfully. "Doctor, I think its coming."

**To be continued…**

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, keep them all coming! **

**Chapter Six.**

"Oh Rassilon," the Doctor said quietly as Rose squeezed her eyes tightly shut against the pain. "Okay, Rose, I need you to lie down." He whipped his coat off and rolled it up, easing Rose onto the ground and using the coat as a pillow.

"Doctor," she said emotionally, "I have to tell you the rest of the story. So you understand."

"There's plenty of time for that," the Doctor soothed. "But right now you're going to have a baby."

"No, you don't understand!" she howled. "I've seen the future. I die in childbirth, Doctor. You have to hear me out, 'cause this is the last chance I'll ever have to tell you what happened."

The Doctor couldn't speak for several moments. "Rose… childbirth… _what_? But you can't die!"

"Well, I will," she said bravely. "So hear me out, Doctor."

Reluctantly, the Doctor nodded and took Rose's hand in his, prepared to listen.

----

_As soon as they got into the TARDIS the Doctor leaned against a wall and slid down to the floor._

"_How could you ever stand to look at me again?" the Doctor said weakly and he looked older than ever. "I was in league with those terrible creatures, so selfish. They were right about one thing though: I am worthless."_

"_Doctor, don't be silly," Rose said softly as she knelt down beside the pitiful Time Lord. "You wanted your loved ones safe, and that's just what anyone wants. I forgive you, Doctor." _

_She kissed him tenderly on the lips and felt him respond. Wrapping her arms around him tightly she held him, and allowed him to cry._

_Eventually he wiped away the last of his tears and stood up, taking Rose's hands in his. _

"_Rose, I do not know what occurred on your home world, but here the Time Lords are at war with the Daleks. I have to fight. There is a strong chance that I won't survive, but I want you to stay safe."_

"_But…" Rose paused for a moment. "Won't you just regenerate?"_

"_There are some things that kill a Time Lord, permanently. Daleks have weapons that counteract regeneration, and one shot will kill me."_

"_But Doctor," Rose started, panic rising in her throat. "You can't die! What about me?"_

"_Rose Tyler," the Doctor said softly. "Once we arrive at Gallifrey I will reset the TARDIS coordinates to take you back to Earth. London, 21__st__ century. You can live a normal life, and forget me."_

"_No chance," Rose laughed. "My old Doctor tried that with me once or twice before. Never worked."_

_The Doctor frowned and she could see his confusion, so she explained further._

"_Daleks. The Doctor thought he was gonna die, and he sent me back home with the TARDIS. Well, if he thought that was the end of me then he was wrong. I looked into the heart of the TARDIS Doctor, and I destroyed those Daleks. He regenerated, but still I stayed with him. And I'm staying with you, Doctor. I'm not leaving you."_

_The Doctor looked quite gob-smacked by this information and it took him a moment to register it. He opened his mouth to protest but Rose shook her head, and in that moment the Doctor realised how truly special she was. She'd seen things she couldn't speak of, not even to him, and she was a lot stronger, braver, than he'd first realised. So, without speaking, he set the TARDIS coordinates and Rose smiled as she heard the familiar whooshing sound of the ancient machine in flight._

"_I hope you understand what we're in for," the Doctor murmured. "And I hope you realise that we might not survive."_

"_Just as long as I die with you," Rose said bravely, "then I'm sure it won't be too bad."_

_The moment was too poignant for words, and the emotive silence was only broken by the grinding of the TARDIS that signalled their arrival. The Doctor took a deep breath and placed Rose's hand on his arm, guiding them outside. _

"_Here we are," he said softly, opening the door. "Gallifrey." And with one last, longing look inside his beloved TARDIS the Doctor stepped out and locked the door._

_----_

Rose moaned and gasped in pain as a particularly strong contraction spread through her body. The Doctor held her hand tightly and whispered soothing words to her. He could see the strain and the effort she was putting in, though she tried to hide it. Her face was pale and slicked with sweat, agony in her gentle brown eyes.

"Rose, you can't possibly know how you'll die," the Doctor protested. "How could you find such a thing?"

"I saw it," she panted through the pain. "I saw my future. In the Citadel."

The Doctor froze. "What?!"

"The Citadel of the Time Lords," Rose gasped. "Right in the centre of the Citadel, they have this great big thing, and it shows the future."

The Doctor was gaping. "How the hell did you get inside the Citadel?!"

"I'm good," she joked, smiling weakly. "Very good."

"But seriously," the Doctor said. "How'd you get in there? They wouldn't let a human in, especially not during war."

"I'll tell you."

----

_As Rose stepped out of the TARDIS she was gob-smacked by the beauty of this planet. She'd always wondered what the Doctor's home planet looked like, and now she was standing here. _

_The sky was burnt orange and there were two suns, burning brightly. There were huge crimson mountains capped with snow, and the grass at her feet was a deep shade of red. Numerous trees stood tall, silver leaves shining under the twin suns. And to her left was the most incredible city. It was huge, with numerous towers, and enclosed in a gigantic glass dome. _

"_The Citadel of the Time Lords," the Doctor murmured from beside her and she couldn't even speak._

"_It's beautiful," she whispered once she'd found her voice. "The whole planet is so beautiful. And the Daleks want to destroy it?"_

"_Mmm."_

"_But why?" Rose was scandalised. "It's so perfect here."_

"_Rose," the Doctor said, ignoring her question, "I need to get into the Citadel. Inside there is the Capitol, the seat of Time Lord government. If I get there, I can organise troops and fight."_

"_Right, let's go then," Rose said but the Doctor held her back. _

"_Rose," he said seriously. "I think we should split up. I'm going to need your help with something else."_

"_Oh," she said. "What is it?"_

"_Take this," the Doctor said, pulling a spare TARDIS key from his pocket, and handing it to Rose. It was on a long string and looked the same as the one she still had from her other world. "Wear it. It will help you not to be noticed. I need you to find the Eye of Harmony. Go through the Capitol and find it."_

"_What for?" Rose asked in confusion. "What is it?"_

"_A black hole. If the planet cannot be saved then I'll need you to pull the lever beside it. That will give full power and allow all of the Time Lords to flee and save themselves."_

_Before she could argue the Doctor had grabbed her hand and broken into a run. They raced across fields of red grass and at last reached the giant glass dome covering the Citadel. The Doctor dropped her hand and turned to face her._

"_You should get through just fine, even as a human," he said. "The TARDIS key will allow it. Good luck, Rose Tyler."_

_And then he was gone. She blinked, unsure of what to do before facing the wall of glass. She knew what she had to do and steeled herself. Facing the glass dome Rose took a deep breath and stepped through._

----

**A/N: The big question here is: will Rose die during childbirth? The Doctor wouldn't let that happen, would he? You never know. If you want to find out, REVIEW!! Reviews make me write faster!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Warning: This chapter starts to get a bit more graphic, so just be prepared. There'll be more, erm, descriptive writing in the next few chapters so consider this an official warning. **

**Chapter Seven.**

Rose cried out in pain as the Doctor stared in wonder. So she'd just walked straight into the Citadel?! Incredible. But then again, he hadn't believed she could do a lot of things. Who would have thought a simple human girl could handle the things they saw together? Rose gasped again and bit back a scream and the Doctor was dragged from his thoughts.

"Doctor," she whimpered. "It hurts."

"I know," he said, getting flustered. "Maybe you should start pushing now?"

"But how do I know if I'm dilated enough?" Rose wailed and the Doctor squeaked. He was the Doctor, not a bloody midwife! He sighed. It was now or never.

"Rose, keep still. I'm going in."

The look of mortification on her face was priceless as the Doctor pulled her trousers and underwear off, throwing them aside with a flourish. He bit his lip; it was time to put the title of Doctor to the test and dredge up every last ounce of medical knowledge that he'd ever had. He looked down and immediately knew that something was wrong. There was already an amount of blood and he couldn't even see the baby's head yet. He was sure that there shouldn't be blood until she'd started pushing, but it had been a very, _very_ long time since he'd seen a live birth.

"Okay Rose," he said, trying to sound sure of himself. "Give a push for me."

Rose wailed in pain as she pushed and the Doctor watched, seeing that she really wasn't ready. She was clearly not dilated enough, and it was putting a great strain on her body. If she kept pushing now then it could turn out disastrous. All the same, if she didn't get the baby out then it could be just as bad… The Doctor sighed.

"D-Doctor…" Rose's eyes were clouding and unfocussed and the Doctor realised the pain must be getting to her very badly.

"I'm here," he said, taking Rose's hand. "Stay with me Rose, don't pass out on me. Come on Rose, keep talking to me."

He knew he had to keep her talking, concentrating, for if she became unconscious and kept losing blood she could easily slip into a coma.

"C'mon," the Doctor encouraged gently. "Tell me what happened once you got inside the Citadel."

----

_Rose gazed around her in awe. It was massive inside the Citadel, even bigger than the enormous outside suggested. She took a step forward and glanced around nervously, fingering the TARDIS key that hung around her neck. Just as the Doctor had said, nobody appeared to notice her. They weren't paying attention, all busy doing something. Rose took a moment to stare at the people, the Time Lords. They were rather magnificent, dressed in long sweeping robes with large shoulder-pad type things stretching out from their collars. They also wore large, somewhat ludicrous headdresses that Rose would have laughed at, had they not been so imposing. _

_She glanced around, hoping to see some signs directing her on where to go. She spotted several, but they were all written in Gallifreyan, which the TARDIS did not seem to translate. Rose closed her eyes and concentrated very hard on the TARDIS's telepathic link, clutching the key close to her chest. And then it was like a light, directing her towards a long, dark corridor. None of the Time Lords seemed to be heading down here, all busy with other things and Rose smiled confidently as she hurried down it. At last she reached a tall door and tucked the key back under her shirt. She tugged at the handle, not surprised to find it locked._

_Rose sighed, wishing she had a sonic screwdriver. But then again, the door was probably deadlock sealed. What was she to do now? She was sure this was the right door. The idea hit her without warning and it was like a light bulb hung over her head as she grinned widely. The Doctor had mentioned to her once that all Time Lords had telepathic ability and Rose suddenly knew how to get inside that room. The Time Lords would never suspect a human could get inside the Citadel unnoticed, let alone have any telepathic links, like a TARDIS, so this was the perfect answer. _

"_Please," Rose begged in her mind, using all her energy and willpower to focus on the TARDIS's energy, "open the door for me. Let me inside that room."_

_And just like that, she heard the lock click. Rose frowned. Could it really be that simple? She gingerly pushed the door open and sighed. Of course it couldn't be that easy. Two burly Time Lords leaned lazily against the walls, each holding a powerful looking gun. Thanks to the TARDIS key they hadn't yet noticed Rose and she slipped inside the room, easing the door shut behind her. Now what?_

_And then she saw it. In the middle of the room, a great big hole with a strange smoke coming from it. She had to get down there; she had a strange feeling that this black hole the Doctor mentioned would be under the ground. Would the TARDIS key be powerful enough to allow her to walk straight past the two guards and climb down the hole? She decided not to risk it and glanced around the room. Luck, or fate, was on her side as she spotted a large metal pipe lying on the ground. She picked it up and groaned; it was heavy. Creeping, quietly, she snuck over to the guards. Wham! Straight over the back of the head. The first guard dropped like a slinky. The second guard jumped up and looked around wildly. Wham! Down he went also. _

_Rose dropped the pipe, shaking slightly and hoping they'd be alright. She removed that thought from her mind and faced the hole. It wasn't too deep, so she gathered her courage and jumped._

_----_

"Ohh my God," Rose practically screamed as another contraction gripped her. They were coming closer now, less time between them, and she was getting tired. The Doctor was steadily remembering bits and pieces of information on human births and was slowly gaining confidence. She just needed more time so she could dilate.

"Come on Rose," the Doctor muttered, gripping her sweaty hand tightly. "Tell me what you found when you got down the hole."

"It was there," she whispered, gritting her teeth against the pain. "The black hole. It looked different to the one we saw, with the Ood and stuff. This one was smaller, and was darker. More smoky. But there was somethin' else. Dragging me towards it. Just sorta captured me. It was this great big pool, next to the Eye. I couldn't resist, I needed to look at it."

"And what did you see?" the Doctor asked sharply.

"The future," Rose whispered. "I saw my reflection, and I was pregnant. Showed me ending up here; showed me seeing you again. And… it showed me dying. Giving birth."

The Doctor thought this over for a moment, his brain working a million miles per hour. Suddenly he leapt to his feet with a yell, startling Rose.

"But that's it!" he cried, running his hands through his hair and causing it to stick up at odd angles. "It's a Diversion Pool! The Time Lords put it in there, next to the Eye to cause a distraction. It has this psychic link, pulling you towards it. It's supposed to distract anyone undesirable; makes them see possible future outcomes. They get so distraught that they forget what they came for."

"Why'd they put that in there?" Rose asked, digging her nails into her palms from the pain.

"The Eye of Harmony is coveted," the Doctor explained. "It provides incredible power, and can give extra lives. My old nemesis, the Master, tried to steal a new set of regenerations from it."

"But, the Doctor said he's friends with the Master," Rose said and earned a glare. "Sorry, I meant the _parallel_ Doctor."

"Like you said. Parallel. That Master might be friendly, but this world's is bad, Rose. Bad to the very core."

"Anyways," Rose said. "Before another contraction comes on, wanna tell me what it meant? What I saw?"

"It just shows possible futures. Possible outcomes. Did you study psychology at school, Rose?"

She shook her head.

"Well there's a little thing called 'self-fulfilling prophecies'. You end up convincing yourself that something's gonna happen, and then it does. You end up _making _it happen by believing it so strongly."

"I don't get it," Rose said blankly.

"You're not going to die in childbirth!" the Doctor announced happily. "I mean, you _might_, you _could_, but if I'm very good, which I am, I'll prevent it."

Suddenly Rose cried out and clutched her stomach in agony. The Doctor dropped to her side, clutching her hands.

"Hold on Rose," he murmured. "I'm going to get this baby out, and you're going to be just fine. You have to trust me."

Rose laughed weakly. "Doctor, I trust you with my life."

**A/N: Yeah ok, this isn't my favourite chapter. Trust me, the next one is better. Anyway, thanks for the reviews so far and keep them coming!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry for the slight delay in posting this chapter, I haven't had a chance to finish writing it until today. Thanks to all for reviewing and I hope you keep doing so.**

**Chapter Eight.**

It had been several hours since Rose's waters had broken yet still she hadn't begun to dilate. The Doctor was relieved to find that she wasn't continuing to bleed; she'd only torn some skin by pushing too early. The contractions had become more intense and frequent, and Rose regularly needed to pee because of the baby's pressure on her bladder.

"How much longer, Doctor?"

"A few hours probably," he replied, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "How about you finish telling me the story?"

----

_Rose used every last ounce of willpower to turn away from the pool and backed off, trembling with shock and fear. She would die in childbirth? But how was this even possible? She wasn't even pregnant… Was she?_

_She shook her head and remembered what she was here for. She had to sit beside the Eye of Harmony and wait for the Doctor, should he need her. As time ticked by, a battle had begun above…_

_The Dalek fleet sailed in through the sky, casting shadows over Gallifrey. The Doctor had brought warning and not a soul was outside. The Daleks soared from their ships and descended upon the planet, eyestalks swivelling in search of any signs of life. The silence was like the calm before the storm, barely a breeze blowing. And then it began._

_Time Lords erupted from the Citadel, hollering war cries and brandishing weapons that made Earth's guns look pitiful in comparison. The Daleks reacted, screaming their own cries and deadly light flew in every direction. Blue lasers shot from the Daleks' guns whilst red blasted from the Time Lords, creating fireworks in the afternoon glow. And there stood the Doctor, hearts thumping as he lifted the gun and stared around. This was the moment he had to decide where his loyalties lay. If he were ever to find the Master's whereabouts then he needed the Daleks… But could he sacrifice his own race._

_A beam of light shot past, missing him by mere inches and his decision was made. The Doctor had chosen which side to fight for and he lifted the gun, aiming it carefully and pulling the trigger. It was a direct hit and the Doctor grimaced as his victim screamed and writhed in agony before death embraced it…_

_Rose fidgeted impatiently as she heard the battle begin above. Oh, how she longed to be up there, fighting for this beautiful planet instead of stuck down some hole in the ground next to a giant eye. She sighed, wondering whether the Doctor was okay. The sounds of Daleks chorusing their favourite phrase followed by loud zaps and painful screams made her shudder; even hearing the Time Lords fight back didn't dispel her discomfort. _

_Loud screams shattered the air and Rose wondered whether it was the screams of dying Time Lords or dying Daleks. That was it; she couldn't stay here any longer. She had to fight. She had to help the Doctor battling the Daleks. Rose leapt to her feet and inspected the hole above her. How would she climb out? Glancing around she spotted a ladder and sighed with relief. Luck truly was on her side today; but how long would it last? Deciding she'd rather not think about it Rose scurried up the ladder and raced past the two guards who were still unconscious. _

_The Citadel was empty. All of the Time Lords must be outside fighting. Rose hunted around for a while and finally, stashed in a desk drawer, she found a weapon. It resembled a hunting rifle but was made of cold steel and she had a strong feeling that it didn't fire simple bullets. This was it; she steeled herself for whatever awaited and bravely stepped out of the Citadel. The sight that met her was quite horrific._

_Time Lords were dropping to the ground with painful screams, killed by the powerful Dalek guns. Bodies lay everywhere, eyes staring lifelessly up at the burnt orange sky. Daleks were being hit by the Time Lord guns and exploding into flames with long, drawn out screams. Thick, choking smoke filled the air and still the battle went on. There were already dozens of Time Lord bodies and burnt out Dalek shells, but thousands were still alive, fighting desperately with a fury Rose had never seen before. And then she saw him; the Doctor. _

_He had a deep gash across one cheek and blood was dripping steadily from the wound. His velvet jacket was torn and smoking slightly on one sleeve and as Rose approached him the concern left her and was replaced by horror. She did not know this man. He clutched the weapon as though it was all he'd ever known and the look of intense hate was written clearly across his features as he continued to reload his gun and fire at his opponents…_

_The Doctor looked up and his eyes made contact with Rose's. Shit, he thought. What does she think she's doing out here? His attention was torn from the human girl as something grabbed his arm. The Doctor spun around and found himself facing Rhotau, an old classmate from the Academy. Rhotau's face was thunderous with fury and the Doctor barely recognised him. _

"_You are a traitor," he hissed and the Doctor almost recoiled. Almost. _

"_I am no traitor," the Doctor replied calmly, taking out a passing Dalek for effect. "I am here, fighting for my planet. Our planet; Gallifrey. If I were a traitor do you not think I would be fighting for the Daleks, rather than against them?"_

"_You have been passing them information against us!" Rhotau roared, spit flying from his mouth in rage. The Doctor nodded sadly._

"_Alas, you are correct about that. But is it not the present that counts? And here I am, making up for my mistakes."_

"_You are scum," Rhotau said in disgust. "You are a Dalek."_

_  
"Perhaps I was," the Doctor said with a strange smile. "But the errors of my ways were changed when I fell in love."_

"_Love?" Rhotau repeated doubtfully but before the Doctor could elaborate further his fellow Time Lord froze, blue electricity crackling across his body, and then he was dead._

"_No!" the Doctor cried, furiously turning to face the Dalek that had killed him. And then the true power of the Oncoming Storm was unleashed, the Dalek not standing a chance against the fury. Thunder boomed as the Doctor blasted his weapon wrathfully, sending half a dozen Daleks into oblivion. _

_His rage was nowhere near subsiding and he couldn't be stopped, reloading the weapon with incredible speed and firing again with vengeance. Another line of Daleks became a wall of flame and rubble, yet still the Doctor wasn't satisfied. The screams of his dying comrades only fuelled the Storm, and the smells of death and smoke were filling his nostrils. He vaguely registered someone clinging to his arm, screaming his name, but it wasn't important. The only importance was death, destruction, decimation. That was what he'd brought to the Time Lords, and now he was giving it to the Daleks. The creatures that truly deserved it. _

"_Doctor!" Her scream could be ignored no longer. He turned and was shocked by what he saw. Her golden hair was a mess, she had dark smudges across her beautiful face and there were several bloody cuts on her arms from flying debris. Her eyes were terrified but she gripped a weapon with defiant assertion, loyalty screaming from every atom of her existence. A surge of love for this human girl filled his body and he swept her up in a quick embrace._

"_Rose," he said urgently. "I asked you to stay down there, with the Eye of Harmony."_

"_No chance," she retorted. "Not while you're up here fighting. I couldn't stand not knowing…"_

_She didn't need to finish the sentence and they stared at each other for a long moment, before both turning back to the fight and letting their ammunition loose on the Daleks. _

_----_

"Holy friggen' shit," Rose yelped, startling the Doctor from his reverie. Her descriptions were so vivid, so accurate, and he couldn't quite comprehend how similar the parallel war was to his own. The death, the horror, the smoke, blood, fire. It was all just how he remembered it. But no time for that now; Rose was about to give birth.

"Rose," the Doctor said, inspecting her. "You're fully dilated. It's time to push."

"Doctor," she whimpered. "What if I die…?"

"You won't," he said firmly. "Because I'm here, and I won't let that happen. I'm the Doctor, and this is my domain. Now, next contraction I want you to push."

"Here it comes," she said, gritting her teeth and groaning as the pain took over.

"Okay Rose," he said encouragingly. "Push now. Come on Rosie, push!"

Rose wailed and hollered, the pressure making her feel as though she would burst. The contraction ended and she gasped and panted, sweating profusely and awaiting the next one. It came on quickly and she yelled and screamed and pushed the whole way through. And then yet another contraction and something deep inside said that this was it. The Doctor must've thought so too for he became extremely animated, positioned between her thighs.

"Come on, Rosie girl!" he cried, clapping his hands. "Come on Rose, this is it. Come on, big push!"

She screamed, pain and terror mingled together as she felt an incredible, agonising pressure down below. She wailed and gasped as she pushed, nails digging into her palms.

"Oh Rose," the Doctor murmured. "The head. I can see… Oh come on Rose, don't give up now! One more push, that's it! Push, Rose Tyler! PUSH!"

Her piercing scream filled the air, echoing around the dark and empty planet before finally fading away. And then the silence was broken by a small, tentative cry which quickly developed into a wail and Rose collapsed back onto the ground, gasping in relief. The Doctor was speechless as he held this tiny, wrinkled, slimy creature in his arms and felt tears prick in his eyes. After all the death and destruction, to be holding new life in his arms… there were no words to describe it.

"Rose," he whispered. "You did it. I knew you'd get through it."

"_We_ did it," she murmured back before falling into a helpless sleep from pure exhaustion.

**TBC…**

**So, is it a boy or a girl? Review and let me know what you'd prefer, and any suggestions for names?**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who made suggestions about the baby, they were all considered very carefully. But I got this idea when I was in the shower, so I ended up using that, whilst trying to incorporate all suggestions somehow. Also this chapter is completely domestic, I hope nobody minds. Just one little domestic chapter, I couldn't resist. **

**Anyway, moving on. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own it, but I can dream.**

**Chapter Nine.**

The Doctor sobbed as he held the tiny wailing baby in his arms. It was so helpless and its pitiful cries made him want to protect it with his life. Nothing would ever touch this child, not whilst he was still around. The moment was extremely tender and poignant as the Doctor held the small child close to him, hearts beating in sync. He noted that the child only had one heart, but that was alright. Time Lords didn't get the second until they'd regenerated for the first time.

Tears fell from his eyes and his emotions were mixed. He cried with grief that this infant was not his, but he also cried with joy that the child was new life, and symbolised a second chance. The Doctor glanced at the umbilical cord still joining infant with mother. The cutting of the cord was the moment that the child was cut loose into the world, fending for itself. There was nothing to keep it alive if the mother deserted it. But that would never happen for this baby, the Doctor vowed. He wouldn't let history repeat itself… This child would not be abandoned the way he had been.

The Doctor cut the cord and held the naked child against his chest, gazing down in wonder. The newborn's face was scrunched up and red in the effort of screaming the disapproval at being disturbed from its warmth. It had been awfully cosy inside the womb, and now it was naked and cold, kicking and hollering at the injustice of it all. The Doctor smiled down at the tot before carefully laying it on the ground and crawling over to the slumbering Rose. He smiled down at her, admiring her golden beauty. She looked exhausted and he gently kissed her forehead before delicately easing his rolled up coat from underneath her head. Crawling back he lifted the infant and wrapped it into the warm fabric, holding it close once again.

"Oh, beautiful baby," he whispered, "I'll give you the life I never had. And that's a promise. You'll never be alone, you precious helpless little thing."

He kissed the child tenderly on the head, his lips lingering on the soft moist skin. It hit him hard then, that this miracle was not his own. The tears came again, flowing freely down his cheeks but he vowed that it would not make a difference. Already he loved this child as though it was his own, and he would always look out for it.

"Oh dear," the Doctor murmured in mild amusement as the baby began to hiccup and the crying gradually diminished. "Someone's getting sleepy, eh? And hungry, no doubt. C'mon, let's wake Mum."

Baby nestled carefully in the crook of his arm the Doctor slithered over to the sleeping form. He nudged her gently, whispering her name and reaching into her land of dreams. Slowly she came to, muttering incomprehensible nonsense and moaning quietly. Her soft brown eyes fluttered open and immediately locked onto the Doctor. The powerful emotions they both felt at that moment were inexplicable and Rose glanced away before spotting the baby snuggled up with the Doctor.

"Oh my God," she whispered, her face going slightly pale. "I almost forgot! I had a baby…"

"Rose Tyler," the Doctor said, shaking his head in amazement. "You _forgot _that you just gave birth?! I'll never understand you humans."

"Names!" she exclaimed, unsuccessfully attempting to sit up. "I thought maybe Jackie, after my mum."

The Doctor didn't miss the tears forming in her eyes but remained silent.

"Or Gallifreya," she said softly. "I think it's pretty."

"It is pretty," the Doctor said slowly, "but I doubt he'll appreciate a girl's name."

"Oh my God!" Rose squeaked. "So it's a boy?"

The Doctor grinned. "Rose Tyler, meet your son and heir."

"May I hold him?" she whispered and the Doctor obliged immediately. His stomach somersaulted with emotion as he saw mother and son, together. She gazed at the helpless child with such love in her eyes that he was tempted to cry once again. The infant immediately snuggled in closer as though sensing that he was in his mother's arms at last. There were no words that could adequately explain the connection of mother and child, or what the Doctor felt as he watched this. It was incredible, like nothing he'd ever witnessed before and would no doubt never see in the future.

"How about Jack?" Rose said softly, breaking the silence. The Doctor frowned.

"I dunno…"

"What's wrong with Jack?"

"Nothing, if it's his middle name."

"Well what's his first name gonna be?"

"I sort of had this idea…" the Doctor trailed off and looked away.

"What, Doctor?" Rose urged him on.

"I had this idea," he said, swallowing nervously. "I hoped that… Maybe a Gallifreyan name?"

Rose pondered this for a moment. "What, like a title?"

"Eh?"

"Doctor; Master. Like that, y'mean?"

"No!" the Doctor said hurriedly. "No, those are just stupid titles. No, I mean a proper Gallifreyan name."

"Such as?" Rose looked doubtful.

"Well, Rassilon was the founder of Time Lord society," the Doctor suggested.

"Rassilon? No thanks, don't like it."

"Omega?"

"Sounds like a fish supplement."

"Cael?"

"Doesn't feel right."

The baby gave a warning wail, reminding them he was still there and hungry. Rose glared meaningfully at the Doctor and he sighed, turning away to stare pointedly at the dusty ground. Rose lifted her top and unclasped her bra, allowing the child to discover her breast. It was an odd yet wonderful feeling to breastfeed for the first time, and Rose found she rather enjoyed the intimate bond it produced. When her son had at last had his fill she shifted him away, readjusting her bra and top. She laid the infant against her shoulder, gently rubbing his back until he burped.

"He's falling asleep," Rose murmured and the Doctor turned back to face her, sidling over. The child was still snuggled comfortably in the Doctor's coat and he blinked sleepily, eyes a deep intelligent brown.

"You're right," Rose said firmly once the tot was dozing quietly and the Doctor stared at her. "A Gallifreyan name would be good."

"So you're not going to dash down every suggestion I make this time?"

"Sorry, but none of those felt right. I want something that's… perfect, I guess."

"Fair enough. Zayin? Kheth?"

Rose shook her head to both. The Doctor rattled off a list and each one Rose wrinkled her nose at, causing him to almost give up. And then, one idea hit him. Dare he suggest it? He knew that if Rose didn't like this one he'd probably crack. Was it worth the risk?

"Okay, how about…" the Doctor took a deep breath. This was going to be very difficult, as he hadn't said this name aloud for more years than he cared to remember.

"Yes?" Rose smiled encouragingly, seeing he was working up to something important.

"What do you think of… Theta…"

He deliberately avoided eye contact and fiddled with his sleeve, waiting for the pain of hearing his beloved Rose insult his name.

"Theta…" she tested the name thoughtfully and the Doctor looked up, seeing that she was seriously considering it. "That feels… right."

She sounded slightly surprised but grinned at him moments later.

"I like that," she said happily. "It sounds right. What made you think of that? Isn't it Greek?"

The Doctor smirked. "Where do you think the Greeks got their alphabet from? And it's my name."

"Your name?" Rose tried unsuccessfully to hide her shock.

"Theta Sigma. That's my name. Oh, you've no idea how long it's been since anyone has called me that."

"You're sure its okay to use your name for the baby?" Rose asked cautiously and the Doctor grinned.

"Its more than okay Rose," he said, sidling closer and giving her a one-armed hug. "It would be an honour."

"Then that's what we'll call him," she said softly, gazing down at her son. "Theta. Theta Sigma or Theta Tyler?"

The Doctor laughed, a laugh of genuine happiness as he nuzzled Rose's hair. "We've got plenty of time to figure that out. But for now let's just enjoy the moment."

Rose turned her beaming face up to gaze at the Doctor and he felt electricity run through his veins. Before he could stop himself he'd tilted his head and captured Rose's lips with his own. He heard her surprised gasp and thought she was going to pull away, but instead she parted her lips and allowed the Doctor to slip his tongue inside her mouth. And they sat there, on a dark and empty planet, child nestled between them as they kissed. For the time being, all was perfect.

**TBC.**

**A/N: Not over yet, plenty more to come. And the more reviews I get the quicker I write!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: For those Americans reading this, a nappy is a diaper. **

**Chapter Ten. **

The warm fuzzy feelings of being a family didn't last long. Rose had gotten dressed whilst glaring at him. Theta had decided to use the Doctor's coat as a toilet rather than blanket and was now wailing in disgust. Rose was snapping at the Doctor whilst he hurriedly searched his pockets for something to clean the tot with. He finally produced his favourite handkerchief and watched mournfully as it was used to wipe the child's bottom. Then Rose had the nerve to yell at him for not carrying more than one handkerchief. Now what was the baby supposed to be wrapped in?

Suddenly Rose broke into hysterical laughter and the Doctor eyed her warily. These hormones were dangerous, and he didn't trust the crazed cackles. With tears in her eyes she finally stopped laughing to smile broadly at his confusion.

"What's so funny?" he asked, nonplussed by her sudden change of moods.

"Look at us," she giggled. "We are _so_ domestic."

"So we are," he smiled. "And I never thought I'd see the day when I became domestic."

"I'm sorry for being so awful," she said softly, smile fading away. "It was like I couldn't stop it."

"Its fine," the Doctor said charitably. "I understand that you're going to be a pain in the neck for a while."

Rose slapped him playfully on the arm whilst he resumed his search for something akin to a nappy. In his search he produced the TARDIS key and gazed at it solemnly, the pain obvious in his handsome face. The moment was strangely quiet, broken after several minutes by Rose.

"Can you use it to get the TARDIS back?" she asked. "You did it when we saw my dad and we were locked in the church."

"It's not glowing," he said sadly. "The TARDIS was sucked into the Void when the two worlds collapsed."

"Was just a suggestion," she pouted. "You could at least try."

"I'd need a battery to charge it with anyway."

Rose reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, throwing it to the Doctor. Theta began to howl again and Rose gently rocked him, crooning into his ear. The Doctor sighed and resignedly pulled out the battery, sitting it on the key and plucked the sonic screwdriver from his pocket. Convinced it wouldn't work he performed a quick bit of screwdrivering and almost dropped the key when it flashed brightly and began to glow.

"It's… its working!" Rose smirked at the gaping Doctor and nestled her crying baby closer. He began to laugh and soon Rose was laughing with him. Tears of mirth and joy shone in their eyes and the Doctor draped his arm around Rose and Theta, gazing down lovingly at them both. He turned and watched as the faded outline of the TARDIS formed in a pulsing glow.

"It'll take a few hours to get the TARDIS," he said softly. "At the moment it's just the shadow. The full existence and everything will appear within several hours. Even once it's completely here it'll take another few hours, maybe a day, to be able to use it. Being ripped out of the Void will take a toll on the old girl so we'll have to give it time."

A long silence began to play out again, interrupted only by the whimpers of baby Theta. After a while the Doctor seemed to remember that he was searching for a substitute nappy and resumed his hunt. The trouble with pockets being bigger on the inside was that he had trouble finding things when he needed them. At last he found a piece of cloth, garishly coloured, and handed it to Rose.

"Not the most fashionable," she commented as she wrapped the piece of bright orange, yellow and green cloth around Theta in a vague imitation of a nappy.

"I used to cover my parrot's cage with that at night," he said thoughtfully and Rose stared at him. He smiled brightly at her and she wasn't sure whether or not he was serious, but decided to let it pass. It smelt clean, so she had no choice but to accept it.

"Anyway," the Doctor said, breaking the silence. Theta seemed content now and was beginning to doze again. "You never finished telling me what happened. We've got hours to waste so you might as well talk about it."

"Okay," Rose agreed. "But it might be a bit intense. I dunno how similar it was to your life, but if you get upset then just tell me to stop and I will."

"Go on," he said shortly and Rose began to speak, her descriptions vivid.

----

_Fighting the Daleks brought on a terror Rose had never known before but she was being fuelled by adrenalin and was unstoppable. In the fleeting moments she took to concentrate on the surroundings she felt sick. Her clothes clung to her body with sweat caused by the burning fires scattered around them. The air was thick with choking black smoke and dying screams from both Time Lords and Daleks reverberated around before being drowned out by the firing of weapons. _

_Rose winced every time she hit a Dalek; the shot would either cause the creature to explode into flames or else ricochet and risk hitting someone else. She soon learnt that the Daleks could only be killed if hit on the top half, above the panelled section. Hit anywhere else and the creature seemed unaffected. Aiming was difficult in the circumstances but she did her best. _

_A Dalek descended in front of her and she aimed carefully, finger poised on the trigger… The Dalek fired and Rose's eyes widened in shock as she dropped the mangled remains of her gun. Her mouth fell open in shock as she realised that this was war, and she was completely defenceless. The moment seemed to stretch on and she gaped in horror as the Dalek moved closer._

"_Exterminate."_

_Rose screamed as she was flung to the ground and the Dalek's shot missed her by inches. She hit the ground painfully on her back and looked up into the ancient eyes of her saviour. The Doctor quickly leapt off her and whirled around to face the evil creature, brandishing his own gun and firing. The Dalek exploded and Rose breathed a sigh of relief. The Doctor bent down to help her up and in that moment they both forgot one rather large detail: they had killed _one_ Dalek. They were in the middle of a war, and there were hundreds, thousands, more Daleks just waiting to kill._

_The blast was large and the ground shook. Rose staggered and almost fell, the Doctor reaching out to catch her. Another dozen fleets of Daleks were descending upon Gallifrey and Rose gasped in terror. She glanced around and could clearly see that they were already losing, and with all the Daleks coming in now… They had no hope._

"_Doctor," she said fearfully, gazing deeply into his ancient eyes. "We can't do it. We won't make it. Should I go down and open the Eye? Get everyone out?"_

_The Doctor opened his mouth to answer her but was cut off by a loud band. A Dalek exploded very close to them and burning debris flew through the smoky air. Rose gasped as a large piece of metal hit her head and she swayed for a moment before crumpling to the ground._

"_No," the Doctor whispered, turning her over and checking her pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the steady thumping beneath his fingertips. Not even caring about the war any longer he lifted the human girl into his arms. Shielding her as best he could the Doctor broke into a jog and ran. Ran away from the fight, ran away from the danger, ran away from his people and planet. It was what he'd always done, he realised with a jolt. He was the scared, weak Time Lord who always ran away._

_The TARDIS; he could see it. There it was, standing sentinel on the horizon. So close now, so close. He ran across the whispering red plains, Rose Tyler in his arms, and realised: he wasn't running away. He'd never run away. He'd run _towards _something, but never away. All his life he'd run, searching for something better. And now that something better was lying unconscious in his arms. He was running for her, running to save her. He loved Rose Tyler, and she was what he'd been searching for. Now he'd found her and he wasn't about to run away._

_The Doctor flung the TARDIS door open and tumbled inside, kicking it shut behind him. He eased Rose onto the floor and bounced about at the console, fiddling with coordinates and settings. He heard her begin to stir and hastily set the last few things to how he wanted it. He knew it was too perfect that they'd got away unharmed; someone must've seen them. Must have seen the Doctor running, with a girl in his arms. They would come to find him, question him, kill him. _

_With the coordinates set he raced over to Rose and crouched down at her side. Her eyelids began to open and she glanced up at him groggily. He was eager to get back to the fight so he talked quickly, hoping she'd obey him._

"_Rose," he said hurriedly. "I have to get back. You're injured, so don't protest. I've realised that I have you, and you're all I want, so I've got no excuse to run anymore. There's nothing left to find. I'm going to open the Eye and get everyone out, and we're going to flee."_

_Rose tried to sit up, her eyes wide in shock but her head span and she lay back down to listen. _

"_Anything could happen out there, so I've set the TARDIS coordinates to Emergency Default 61. If I'm not back within two hours, or if you and the TARDIS are threatened, I want you to hit that big blue button on the side there. It will take you to the default safe place."_

"_Where's that?" Rose managed to ask, her head spinning horribly and an awful ache throughout her body._

"_It's a little planet," the Doctor explained quickly. "Nothing there, just dust and rocks. It's an intergalactic place of refuge and it's usually empty. You only go there if you've got no choice."_

"_But I…"_

"_Now Rose, don't argue. I must go now. Two hours, big blue button."_

"_I love you."_

_She knew that she had to say it. She could never make the same mistake as last time. The Doctor smiled tenderly at her as he stood up. He gave her hand a last squeeze before letting it fall back to her side._

"_Rose Tyler, I love you too. I do hope you know that."_

_Rose struggled into a sitting up position and watched as the Doctor opened the door and stepped out. She frowned as he started slightly, taking a small step back. He was staring at something but she couldn't see what, as he was in the way. But she couldn't fail to miss that cold robotic voice as it infiltrated her ears. Couldn't fail to see the blue flash of the deathly laser, or the way it lit up the Doctor's body. Couldn't fail to scream as he hit the ground, his lifeless body jerking the TARDIS door shut. _

_Rose Tyler couldn't fail to remember. And she would never forget. She would always hear that one cold word, repeating itself in her mind constantly. The word that had killed the Doctor._

"_Exterminate."_

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**TBC….**

**Please review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thanks to those of you who have been reviewing. Please keep the reviews coming!**

**Chapter Eleven.**

_Rose lay on the cold floor of the TARDIS, weeping. She didn't know how long she'd been there but the tears were still flowing and she didn't have the strength to fight them. The Doctor. Dead. Her Doctor. The Doctor was dead. These words kept racing through her mind, forcing the pain deeper into her heart. The TARDIS was quiet, Rose realised through her grief. That lone Dalek, that killer, must have got what it wanted when it murdered the Doctor and wasn't bothering with the human girl locked in a TARDIS. _

_It wasn't until Rose realised that the broken sobbing she could hear wasn't her own that she finally sat up. She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve before listening carefully. Yes, she could hear it. Someone was crying. A man. She realised that it was coming from outside the TARDIS. The Doctor! He was alive! Rose grinned and leapt to her feet, flinging the door open. A quick glance told her that the Dalek was gone but looking to the ground her heart sank._

"_S-sorry," the stranger said through his tears, looking up at her. "I hope I'm n-not intruding."_

_He was holding the Doctor's head on his lap, stroking the soft white hair back from the smoke blackened forehead. The tears coursing down his face spoke volumes, and clearly told Rose that he knew the Doctor well._

"_Um," Rose said, for it was all she could manage._

"_Sorry," he said again with a sad smile. "I see you've been crying too. You must've known him."_

"_I loved him," she whispered, the tears threatening to fall again._

"_As did I," the man said softly, gently laying the Doctor's head on the ground and closing his eyelids tenderly. The man stood up and brushed himself off before offering his hand to Rose, who shook it gingerly. "I am the Master."_

"_Rose Tyler. Hold on, I've heard that name. The Doctor mentioned you were his friend or something."_

"_One of the best, I should think." The Master smiled warmly at her and Rose immediately felt comfortable with him. She quickly studied his appearance and noted that he was slim, looked to be aged in his fifties, had slick black hair slightly frosted with grey, and had a sharp moustache that almost made him look sly. His pointed beard only added to that impression, but his smile was friendly and kind._

"_We should…" Rose nodded down at the Doctor's body and tried to fight off the tears._

"_Not yet," the Master said solemnly. "The war is still going, and I must return to fight. Once we have won, the Doctor will have a proper burial."_

"_I want to fight too," Rose said firmly but the Master raised an eyebrow._

"_By the looks of you you've already been fighting, am I correct?" Rose nodded. "Then you should stay here and protect the Doctor."_

"_But I wanna fight!" Rose realised with embarrassment that she was beginning to sound like a small child. The Master didn't seem to notice, or if he did he said nothing._

"_Rose, was it? Rose, stay here. I beg you, stay with the Doctor. He needs you."_

"_What happens if you don't come back?" Rose asked tearfully. "What if we don't win; what if you die? Then I'll truly be alone."_

"_I shall go and assess the situation," the Master said after a moment's hesitation. "If it appears that all is lost I will return and we can do our best for the Doctor before fleeing. If we appear to be winning then I shall stay and fight, before returning safely to you. You have my word."_

_Before Rose could protest he was marching back towards the battle. Why was it always the kind ones who made you feel at ease that had to go and fight? War was a dreadful, terrible thing. It stole people's lives, whether they died or not, for once you have seen war you are never the same again. Death is almost welcome after witnessing the atrocities of battle. Blood, pain, agonised screams and friends slowly dying all around you. These were all part of war. _

_Rose felt it before she heard it. The ground began to shake, a great vibration running through the core of the planet. The shivering was followed by a deep rumble which echoed loudly. The sounds of fighting stopped and it seemed everyone was in awe. Rose got to her feet and strained to see what was happening, but the battle was too far away. A piercing shriek was followed by an angry roar. A monstrous beast must have been let loose. And then Rose saw it. Not a beast. The roar was the sound of people running. Every single Time Lord on the planet was running across the plains, fleeing the fight in a desperate attempt to survive. _

_The Daleks were ascending back up into the sky, the fleets turning around and escaping. Hundreds and thousands of Daleks were running away in terror. Rose stood, mesmerised, as the Time Lords scattered, all trying to hide. The Daleks were leaving, but somehow she felt it wasn't over. And she knew she was right when she spotted something unusual. A large tendril of smoke rising over the Citadel. Oh, but it wasn't like the clouds of thick dark smoke from the battle. It was a deep purple colour and it seemed to scream out one word; just one. RUN! And Rose ran._

_She spun around and locked herself in the TARDIS. She pelted over to the console and wished her hands would stop shaking so she could concentrate. The Doctor had said the red button? Or the yellow? No, blue. Definitely blue. Rose swore. Then the sounds of an explosion filled the air, shaking the TARDIS and knocking Rose to the floor. She bit her lip in fear, waiting for it to end, and lay still for several moments. At last, shaking with fear, Rose got to her feet and listened. There was no doubt about it; Gallifrey was being engulfed by an inferno._

_Without another moment's hesitation Rose hit the blue button and was once again knocked off her feet. With the soothingly familiar grating sounds the TARDIS took flight and Rose sighed in relief. It wasn't until they were well into the journey that Rose realised with a jolt of pain that she'd left the Doctor behind. She burst into tears of shame and anguish, sinking to the floor yet again. The tears ran unheeded down her cheeks with no one to wipe them away. No one to comfort her. No Doctor…_

_And then they landed. Rose sighed, knowing that she'd best get out and see what this default safety planet was like. She stood up and headed over to the door but before she could open it the Doctor's voice began to speak. Rose span around in shock to see a hologram._

"_Good afternoon, I hope you are well and enjoyed your flight," the Doctor's hologram said pleasantly. "The TARDIS has detected that we have landed on the Emergency Default 61. This is Safety Protocol 181. Please depart from the TARDIS immediately, as she will self-destruct in eleven, ten, nine…"_

_Rose hesitated a moment before leaping out of the door and running as fast as she could. The explosion knocked her off her feet and sent her sprawling. Rose sighed sadly as the last of the debris landed and she stood up. She'd been knocked to the ground more times than she could count today and was getting sick and tired of it. Now the TARDIS was gone too and Rose began to cry yet again._

_----_

"And that's about it," Rose said with a shrug. "Explored the place, recognised that it was here I'd seen us in that pool, and here we are. Figured out I was pregnant about a week after being stuck here."

"How have you survived?" the Doctor asked in confusion.

"Ate the rocks," Rose said as though it was obvious. "You should know that. This place is the default safety for every single different Universe out there. That's how we both managed to get here."

"Ah, that's right," the Doctor said with a grin.

"Took me a while to figure out that the rocks were food," Rose laughed, "and that the bigger ones have got water inside."

"It's very clever," the Doctor said. "Reminds me of this little planet I once went to, I forget the name, but it had these little green men and when it rained they'd sprout little vegetables from their ears, so when you got hungry you could… just… harvest…"

The Doctor trailed off and seemed to droop as Rose glared at him and he realised he'd been babbling. He was about to apologise when a sudden bright glow lit up the planet before receding and the TARDIS fully appeared. Theta began to cry, the sudden flash of light upsetting him. Rose soothed the baby whilst the Doctor leapt to his feet, whooping and laughing.

"Not long now, Rose!" he cried in excitement and joy. "Twenty-four hours tops, then we go home! Ha!"

**TBC…**

**Please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed so far, please keep them coming.**

**This chapter there is the return of a familiar face ;)**

**Chapter Twelve.**

Rose and the Doctor lazed about talking and laughing, taking in turns to hold and cuddle Theta, crooning over how sweet and small he was. Neither of them voiced their fears on where exactly they'd go when the TARDIS was ready, or what they'd do. They didn't want to spoil the moment.

The Doctor gazed down at Theta, who was fast asleep and bundled up in Rose's arms. The baby was dribbling slightly as he slept, his tiny fists clawing the air as he squirmed, getting more comfortable. He was the sweetest thing the Doctor had ever seen and made his hearts melt. And then he gazed at Rose, who was beginning to doze off. The Doctor was sure he'd never seen anything so beautiful, her hair all messed up and untidy. She was perfect.

Several hours passed and the Doctor drifted in and out of a light sleep. Normally he wouldn't bother sleeping, but after all these events he was exhausted. Theta filled his makeshift nappy again and Rose wiped him down before leaving him naked in her arms. There was nothing else to do but sleep, so that's what they all did. The Doctor was dozing quietly, dreaming. He was passionately kissing Rose, and there was a baby in her arms. His baby. Their baby. His dream was interrupted by a familiar noise and he sprung to his feet, grinning. The TARDIS was grinding and grating, her light flashing, signalling that she was ready.

"Rose!" the Doctor cried happily, his hair standing up on end comically. "Rose, she's ready! The TARDIS is ready to go!"

"Whassat?" Rose mumbled, dragging herself from sleep and sitting up. Theta let out a warning cry and Rose jiggled him gently, soothing him.

"Come on!" the Doctor practically squeaked. "We can go!"

Rose hauled herself to her feet, carefully holding the baby to her chest and staggered towards the TARDIS with the Doctor's coat being dragging along behind.

"Here," she said with a grin, handing Theta to the Doctor. "First things first, I need the toilet."

The Doctor rolled his eyes and carefully supported the baby's head, watching as Rose pulled out her TARDIS key and opened the door. The bloodcurdling scream that escaped her lips sent chills of terror down the Doctor's spine and he hurried in after her, bracing himself for what might be in there.

"Long time no see," came the American drawl and the Doctor's jaw dropped. There, leaning casually against the console, was none other than Captain Jack Harkness.

"But what… how did… _what_?" The Doctor knew he was spluttering but he didn't care. He was too shocked for anything else.

"Jack!" Rose squealed and threw herself into the arms of the laughing captain.

"You two have been busy while I was away," Jack said as he eyed the baby in the Doctor's arms.

"Long story," the Doctor said, glowering.

"His name is Theta," Rose beamed, dragging Jack over to see. "Isn't he beautiful?"

She sounded so proud and the Doctor longed to share this moment with her, but he knew he couldn't. It was another man's child, even though he planned to raise it. If Rose let him, of course.

"Just you wait til he hits puberty," Jack said. "I'll teach him everything he needs to know."

"I certainly hope not," Rose laughed. "Anyway, I really need to pee and I'm gonna take Theta with me. He needs a nappy and something to wear."

"You know where the wardrobe is," the Doctor said as he handed Theta over. "There should be baby clothes lying around up there somewhere."

He waited until Rose had left the room before turning to face the handsome captain.

"Jack, how?"

"I can't die, remember? Something happened, your fault I expect, and everyone got sucked into the Void. Everything. Me included."

"That was Rose's handiwork actually," the Doctor said, making light of the situation. "Anyway, how did you end up in here?"

"Floating around in nothing. Didn't know how long it had been. No time in there. Next thing I know I was inside here. Must've detected me somehow."

"Mmm," the Doctor said, looking away. He didn't know how to handle this situation and any moment now, Jack would ask…

"Doctor?" Here it came… "What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it Jack," he said quietly. "Not yet. Maybe one day. But I want you to know something, so you don't ask in front of Rose. That child isn't mine."

Jack whistled. "Wow, that's a shock. Whose is it?"

"A parallel version of me. Don't argue, we're completely different men. He was nothing like me."

"Was?"

"Please, not now," the Doctor whispered and after a long pause Jack nodded.

"So are you and Rose together now or what?"

"I don't know," the Doctor answered honestly. "We kissed. Theta had just been born, and was sleeping. We'd just named him. And we kissed."

"Full on snog?" Jack queried and the Doctor frowned.

"Snog doesn't sound very romantic, but yes I suppose it was."

"There you go, then," Jack said happily, crossing his arms over his chest proudly.

"I kissed her," the Doctor said thoughtfully. "What if she didn't want me to?"

"Did she kiss you back?"

"Yes, but her hormones and emotions are in a tangle at the moment. What if she regrets it now?"

"Has she shown any regret? Been awkward? Anything like that?"

"Well, no…"

"Case closed," Jack said firmly. "Doctor, she's loved you ever since she first saw you. Well, from the first moment I met you two I knew you both loved each other. It was clear as day."

The Doctor sighed. "Oh Jack, if only it were that simple. She's been gone a long time. Years."

"Thought she'd aged a bit," the captain commented. "How old is she now?"

"Thirty at the most," the Doctor said with a shrug. "But during this time she fell in love with another man. And that's his child."

"She was missing you, and he was a version of you so she shagged him."

The Doctor snorted derisively. "Jack, you have such a way with words."

"Sure do," he said with a wink and they both laughed. For that moment their laughter rang out and the Doctor felt genuinely happy. Why was he complaining? He was back in his TARDIS with two of his greatest companions to date, and they were his two best friends. Life was good.

"Doesn't he look sweet?" Rose's happy voice rang out and the two men turned around to see the beaming woman holding Theta who was dressed in a tiny soldier's outfit. Jack was thrilled and raced over to sweep up the infant.

Rose and the Doctor exchanged a glance, both noticing that Jack was clearly competent with children. He was supporting the baby's head, cooing and clucking as he inspected the novelty outfit with obvious joy.

"Captain," the Doctor said, trying to hide the amusement from his voice. "Not feeling somewhat motherly are we?"

Rose couldn't contain her laughter and buried her face in her hands. The Doctor also burst out laughing as Jack flashed them a mock-hurt expression.

"Rose, go and dress him in something sensible," the Doctor said once they'd all recovered from their hysteria.

"Oh, but he looks so cute!" Jack protested with wide-eyed innocence.

Rose giggled and carried Theta back to the wardrobe. When she returned the Doctor was relieved to see she'd dressed him in a sensible blue jumpsuit for newborns. He looked awfully content yet sleepy.

"He needs a nap," Jack said, also noticing how tired the tot looked.

"Rose," the Doctor said, "you're room is still there, untouched from when you left. The TARDIS will provide a cot and anything else you need."

Rose nodded and marched off in the familiar direction of her room. The Doctor watched her leave with the look of a broken man about him and jumped when Jack touched him on the shoulder.

"Give her some time," the captain said softly. "I know she loves you."

"Thanks Jack," the Doctor said shortly, turning away to the console. "But right now I've got more important things to deal with, such as where we're meant to go."

"Whatever," Jack muttered. "Stubborn bastard."

**TBC…**

**A/N: So, where are they gonna go? Adventure isn't over just yet. Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for reviewing so far, and I hope you keep doing so. A few more chapters to go yet, so please stick with it!**

**Chapter Thirteen.**

Rose and Jack had suggested they go to another parallel universe but the Doctor protested that it wasn't healthy, for them or for the TARDIS. Another suggestion was Raxacoricofallapatorius, but that was dashed down quite quickly also. Finally they settled on a tiny planet called Pogon. Rose thought the name was cute. The Doctor set the coordinates and thankfully the journey wasn't too long.

Pogon was a lovely planet, with the sky a shade of lavender, and the sandy ground an attractive pale blue. The thick blades of grass were sapphire coloured, and the sun was a delightful shade of magenta, casting a pink light over everything in the evenings. On their first night there Jack was immediately in awe of the lilac moon, staring up at it in wonder. He said its beauty gave him chills, and went for a walk on his own.

"It's beautiful here," Rose said quietly on that first evening. They'd moved into a small house or 'kuit' as the locals called it. It resembled a large native hut with a grassy roof and muddy walls, but it was rather attractive in its shades of blue.

"That's why I suggested it," the Doctor said. "I've been here before a few times, and the locals are really friendly."

"Even if they do look like two-legged camels," Rose commented and the Doctor laughed.

"You'll get used to it," he said with a smile.

"Is Jack gonna be okay?"

"He'll be fine. I imagine he's missing everything. We're alone now, just the three of us. Everyone, everything, that we ever knew is gone."

"I'm so sorry Doctor," Rose whispered, a tear sliding down her face.

"What's done is done," the Doctor said, "and we can't change the past. Now you can understand what it was like for me after the War."

Rose nodded sadly. There was a wail from the bedroom and she stood up from the table.

"Probably needs a change," Rose said softly and left the room. The Doctor sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. He knew that this was the best time to tell her how he felt, whilst they were alone. It would be harder when Jack came back from his walk. He quickly made his decision and got to his feet, forcing himself in the direction of Rose's bedroom.

The Doctor stopped in the doorway, leaning against the frame and watching in the half-light as Rose meticulously changed Theta. She lay the now cooing baby back down, tweaking his blanket into place. She turned and looked up at the Doctor, who felt his hearts skip a beat. She was beautiful, the shadows across her face making her almost angelic in appearance.

"Doctor." She spoke his name so softly that it could almost have been a sigh. He stepped forward, his hearts racing, and held out his arms. She immediately stepped into his embrace and leaned against his chest. It felt right, holding her against him and he never wanted it to stop.

"Calm down," she mumbled against him and he stared down at her in confusion. She tilted her face up to look at him. "I can feel your hearts beating really fast. Calm down. I won't bite."

The Doctor smiled. "Well, you can never be too suspicious Rose Tyler. Especially with you."

She hit him playfully on the arm before sighing happily and leaning back against him. He had to use all his willpower not to shiver as her arms snaked around his waist, holding him tightly. With one arm draped around her lower back and one hand stroking her soft blond hair the Doctor slowly took a step forward, moving Rose back. Another step, and Rose moved with him, allowing him to guide her. Another step, and another. They were almost against the wall.

"Doctor," Rose murmured against his chest. "You're gonna run us into the wall."

"I realised that," he said, frowning with concentration. "Just give me a moment to work out my next move."

Rose giggled against him and his hearts flipped over. Without thinking he took another step forward, pressing Rose against the wall. In a moment of flustered confusion he lost his balance slightly and fell against her. He heard her sharp intake of breath and decided he couldn't move. Or rather didn't want to. He couldn't believe it; he had Rose Tyler trapped tightly between himself and a wall. He'd often thought about this on those long lonely nights… no! Don't think about it, don't think about it… Blast.

"Doctor," Rose said slowly and quietly, gazing up at him through dark lashes, her eyes twinkling. "What exactly are you doing?"

"I… I'm n-not sure," he stammered, realising that it wasn't a very good idea to be this close to her and letting his mind wander.

"Well, if you take a step back then I can move."

"Y-yes, of course!"

"Then why aren't you moving?"

"This is rather embarrassing," he said quietly, avoiding her eyes, "but I've forgotten how."

"How to move?" Rose couldn't hide the note of amusement in her voice.

"Yes, exactly."

Rose giggled and the Doctor was glad that the light wasn't on, so she couldn't see the blush creeping over his cheeks. He felt her hands move up his chest, tracing a line of fire through his body. Her hands pressed against his chest and she pushed firmly, sending him staggering backwards. Through the dim light he could see her grinning and felt extremely foolish.

"Doctor, is anything wrong?" Rose asked, quite innocently.

The little minx, the Doctor thought. She must know what she's doing! She's winding me up, and she knows I'm like putty in her hands.

"I'm fine, thank you Rose," he said shortly. He was surprised by how rude that had sounded and quickly tried to make amends. "That's an awfully nice top you're wearing this evening."

Rose stared at him, her face not giving anything away, but the Doctor could tell she wasn't fooled by his compliment. After a moment of silence she let her face slip into a smile.

"That's nice of you," she said with a smirk. "But I really don't think you've even looked at my top. You're just trying to cover up for your little display there."

"Rose, don't be mean to me," he whined, his brown eyes pleading. He saw her soften and walk over to him, arms pulling him into a hug. He draped an arm around her lower back and let the other hand rhythmically stroke her hair. It was then that he realised they were in the exact same position as before.

"Let's try again," he said with a sigh and he could feel Rose smile against him, no doubt thoroughly amused. He took a step, sideways this time, and Rose moved with him. Several shuffling steps later the Doctor's leg brushed against the side of Rose's bed. Manoeuvring himself around he sat down on the bed, pulling Rose onto his lap.

"You did it," Rose said, smiling in approval.

"Yes I did," he grinned. "And you are beautiful."

Rose's eyes widened and the Doctor mentally kicked himself for being so stupid. He opened his mouth to apologise but was cut off by Rose's lips slamming against his. He froze for a moment in surprise but quickly responded, his arms holding Rose tightly around her waist. Rose pushed him back onto the bed and he pulled her up on top of him without breaking the kiss. His hands were trailing up and down her spine, whilst hers were tangled in his hair.

"Doctor, Rose!" The call was urgent but they both ignored it, mesmerised by each other and their passionate kiss. "Doctor!"

Reluctantly he pulled away and Rose sat up. Suddenly Jack was in the doorway, panic written across his face.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said quickly, "but there's trouble."

**TBC…**

**Please review and tell me what you think so far. Love it? Hate it? Why?**

**What else would you like to see in the story? Review and tell me.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting, but I've just gone back to school and as it's my last year I've been getting so much work, it's unbelievable. This is the first chance I've had to sit down and write, so please don't blame me if it's a bit rushed.**

**Chapter Fourteen. **

Jack raced back outside with Rose and the Doctor following right behind him and skidded to a halt, staring up at the sky. The others followed his gaze and Rose gasped, clutching at the Doctor's hands. Something was twinkling in the sky, but far too big to be a star. Every now and then it gave a blue flicker, before dimming again. The natives of the planet had all come out of their huts and were staring up at it, some in wonder and some in fear. Several of them began to cry and ran back inside, terrified.

"Doctor, what is it?" Jack asked and Rose turned to glance at him. What she saw made her shiver. The Doctor was standing stock still, all the blood drained from his face in shock.

"That's impossible," he whispered and both Rose and Jack stared at him, awaiting an explanation. When none came Rose poked him sharply in the side.

"Doctor, tell us what it is!"

"Like I said," the Doctor said sharply, spinning around and marching back inside. "It's impossible."

"But what is it?!" Jack demanded, anger working its way into his voice.

The Doctor marched straight into Rose's room, gazing down at the sleeping child. Theta. His name, Rose's baby. It shouldn't be like this, he thought sourly. He span around to face his two companions, the Oncoming Storm written across his face.

"That," he said, gesturing upwards, "is planet Earth."

"What?" Rose and Jack chorused, shock evident in their voices. "How?"

"There must still be a miniscule hole somewhere and the planet is working itself out of the Void and back through the rift."

"So everyone can come back?" Jack asked hopefully. "They might not have all died?"

"Oh, they're all dead," the Doctor said darkly. "They couldn't have survived that."

"How do you know?" Rose asked hopefully. "Isn't it even a slight possibility?"

"No."

"And why is it so bad that the planet's coming back?" Jack demanded. "Isn't it more like a miracle?"

"That won't be planet Earth as we know it," the Doctor explained warningly. "The planet was mostly ripped apart, so that'll just be a crust. Like a shell. It'll be burnt, covered in great cracks and cavities, basically just a crumbling ball of dust. And it won't last long."

"So…" Rose said, fishing around for the right words but finding none. The Doctor seemed to understand and softened, taking her hand in his own.

"Basically what's left of the planet knows that it's not meant to be in the Void, so it's tracked down a hole and is working its way out. What's left of it will stay up there for several hours, but it's going to be badly deteriorated. It'll start crumbling almost immediately, sending down showers of debris."

A look of realisation passed over Jack's face as he glanced out of the window. "Doctor," he started. "The planet… It's directly above us."

"No it's not," Rose said in confusion. "The light, its miles away from here."

"Optical illusion," the Doctor explained.

"What's so bad about that?" Rose still wasn't sure what it all meant.

"When the planet fully works itself out of the Void," Jack said, taking over the explanation, "it'll start to crumble, as the Doctor said. And its right above us, which means the debris will fall onto us."

"I doubt that," she scoffed. "You see people in space on telly, and they sort of float. Something about gravity. It'll just float around, won't it?"

"Rose!" the Doctor said in exasperation. "You saw how close that little dot appeared? That's only the start. Once it's come through all the way, it's gonna be massive. It's in the sky, Rose. It's not just in our solar system, like the moon and stuff. It's actually in the sky, like a bird. And birds don't float."

"Oh."

"So Doctor," Jack said. "What're we gonna do?"

"You two are going to stay here," the Doctor said, a strange expression on his face. "I'm going to use the TARDIS to get out there and have a look. I'm pretty sure that the only option I have is to force the planet back into the Void and seal it."

"How will you get the planet back inside the Void?" Rose asked.

"Oh, I'll harness the TARDIS's quantum DIS conductor to deflect the energy. No worries."

Rose didn't notice the lightness of the Doctor's tone, or the strange expression that remained on his features. Jack however gave him a suspicious glare, but he shrugged it off, guiding Rose over to Theta's cot.

"Take good care of him," he murmured, eyes lingering on the sleeping baby. Then he stepped over to Jack, speaking quietly to the captain. "Jack, there's a huge chance that it won't work so I want you to get everyone on the planet organised, and run them through earthquake procedures. Make sure they all know how to remain as safe as possible."

"Doct-," Jack started but was cut off.

"If I can't do it then like I said, there'll be debris flying everywhere. You were in the Blitz, and you survived so you know better than anyone what to do. Make sure everyone is safe, especially Rose and Theta."

"Doctor," he tried again but was ignored.

"Most importantly Jack," he said seriously. "Don't forget this: be there. Just promise me, that you'll always be there. Promise me you'll always be there to hold Rose when she cries. Promise you'll always make her smile. Promise you'll be there when Theta takes his first steps, and says his first words. Promise me Jack. Just promise you'll always be there."

The captain opened his mouth to argue, but decided against it. "I promise."

"Right then!" the Doctor said brightly, willing the tears not to fall. "That's that then. I'll be off now."

"Doctor," Rose said quickly, glancing up from Theta's tiny sleeping form. "You'll be alright, won't you?"

"Of course!" he said, voice slightly higher than normal. "I'm always alright Rose. I'll see you when I get back, and everything's fixed, yeah?"

"Okay," she nodded, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. The Doctor felt the tears pricking his eyes but refused to give in to the urge to cry. At last he reluctantly pulled away from Rose, gazing down at her beautiful face. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before stepping over to the cot.

"Be good, little one," he whispered to the sleeping baby. "I'm sorry I broke my promise. I was going to be here for you, give you a real chance. And just so you know… Even though you're not mine, I'll always love you."

And with that, the Doctor raced out of the door towards the TARDIS. Rose let the tears run silently down her face, Jack watched sadly, and Theta continued to sleep, blissfully unaware of what had just occurred. As he turned away from the door Jack whispered, "I promise."

**TBC…**

_**PLEASE**_** review!!!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Sorry that this chapter is quite short, school has been hectic with all the homework. I'll update again in the next few days, so in the meantime, enjoy!**

**And don't forget to review please :)**

**Chapter Fifteen.**

"First things first!" Jack said loudly, his voice booming with authority. He gazed around at the inhabitants of Pogon that had gathered, feeling a strong sense of responsibility. "The most important rule is to not panic. That'll only make things worse. My friend is going to try to prevent this, but if he can't then we have to be prepared."

"Are we all going to die?" piped up a young native, his large blue eyes widened with fear and excitement.

"Not if I can help it," Jack said with a grin. "If the worst happens, then the debris will fall in large chunks and be potentially very dangerous. You must stay inside. I repeat: _stay inside! _Keep away from glass and windows. Crouch under a sturdy table or desk and cover your face. Stay there until I give the all clear."

"What's the all clear?" another native demanded.

"I'll come around, yelling when it's safe," Jack continued and he noticed that Rose was huddled in the background, nursing Theta and clearly afraid. "Do not try to come out or move until you hear me telling you to do so. If you get trapped under debris, do NOT light matches or anything of the sort. Don't move about and kick up dust, or you'll choke and make things worse. Cover your mouth so you don't inhale dust."

"How will you find us?" the first alien asked, his voice becoming somewhat squeaky.

"Shout as a last resort only," Jack said firmly. "Instead, tap on a pipe or wall. Are we all clear about the procedures?"

There came an affirmative chorus from the crowd and Jack nodded, ushering them all back inside their dwellings. He quickly made his way over to Rose and Theta, placing his arm around the woman's shoulder. Guiding them back inside he took one last glance around the planet and shut the door firmly. Rose immediately set about changing Theta, grabbing blankets and quietly dreading the next few hours. Jack watched her from the corner of his eye as he set about boarding up the windows. He wasn't sure whether to say something or not; to reassure her. In the end he decided not to. She was very strong, and he was sure she could handle the waiting part on her own. But he was there if she wanted to talk.

----

The Doctor raced around the console quite madly, slamming buttons and yanking levers feverishly. He was a man on a mission, hell-bent on saving the small planet he had now settled on. A demented shine in his eyes, he stood back to watch, breathing heavily as the TARDIS whirred, whizzed, whooshed and groaned. He could feel her strain as she heaved and grinded, whining piercingly with the effort. It had been several centuries since they'd had to use the quantum DIS conductor, and it was clearly taking its toll.

The minutes stretched out, tense and nerve-wracking, until finally a neon blue light began to shine from the TARDIS's central column. It lit up the control room like a magical beam of moonlight, glimmering around and bouncing off every flat surface. The console gleamed and the Doctor hadn't felt as peaceful in quite some time as he stared on in wonder. It wasn't until the light began to build up to an almost blinding white that he realised what he was supposed to be doing.

Leaping forward he heaved several levers, punched in coordinates and flew the TARDIS like he'd never flown her before. The intensity was lucid, the sweat coating his skin in a slick, clammy layer. The TARDIS practically screamed as she strained to assist her beloved Doctor in his desperate quest. The light was now making it almost impossible to see and he staggered over towards the door, wrenching it open. With a gasp the Doctor looked out at the sky, taking in all its terrible beauty. The clouds had darkened, stars were burning, and there it was. Planet Earth. More than a dot now, the crumbling grey masses were moving through quite rapidly. He could almost feel the Universe's pain as it was ripped and torn open, this great ball forcing itself through. Almost like a woman giving birth, he thought in one ironic moment.

Back to the console he ran, feet pounding on the metal grating of the floor. A deep shuddering breath and he knew this was the moment. His fingers hovered over the lever that could save them all, and force the Earth back into the Void. But could he do it, knowing the consequences? If it didn't work, he'd be blasted into nothing. Tiny little particles of nothing. The Doctor shook his head. No, he didn't matter anymore. If he tried to save his own skin then the rest of the planet would perish. Jack, the handsome and brave captain. Theta, who'd barely had a chance at life. And Rose, his beloved Rose. No, they were more important than him. Besides, who knows? It might actually work. The Doctor pulled the lever.

----

Jack was knocked from his feet as the whole planet shook. Theta gave a terrified shriek and began to howl, and Rose staggered towards him. She scooped the tiny baby up into her arms and dropped to the floor, holding him tightly to her chest. Jack was already crawling towards the table and Rose followed, her teeth gritted in determination.

"This is it," Jack shouted over the noise, reaching out an arm to help pull Rose under cover.

Theta was bawling, with no idea what was happening and no way of being reassured. Rose wrapped a warm blanket around his body and adjusted his little woollen hat, cradling him close. Jack draped his arm protectively over her shoulders and gazed down at the red-faced tot. He really hoped that the Doctor knew what he was doing. And then it happened. A great crashing noise as something heavy and hard fell through the roof, smashing a hole. Rose screamed as she stared at the football sized piece of debris.

"Jack," she shrieked. "We can't survive this!"

"Of course we can!" he shouted back, face alight with excitement and fear. "This table is strong and sturdy. Just stay calm Rose, and we'll ride it out!"

"As long as the Doctor's okay," Rose murmured, holding her son close and squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

**TBC…**

**Pretty please review and let me know what you think!!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: This chapter is, I think, the second last one. So please read it and review, and hang in there! xD**

**Chapter Sixteen.**

Jack was in London, the bombs whistling as they fell through the sky. The explosions were incredible, the sky lighting up with orange flames. Shivering in terror, he prayed. He always prayed during an air raid. It was the only time when he'd beg for survival. No Germans were going to destroy Captain Jack Harkness, so sir! He was too good for those bloodthirsty Nazis. Well, there was one German Private who had a knee-trembling smile… No!

"Jack," a voice whispered and the captain glanced around sharply. Rose was gazing at him in concern and he realised that the explosions weren't German bombs. They were huge chunks of debris falling from the ruined planet earth, crashing murderously to the ground.

"Sorry," he apologised. "I was day dreaming…"

Rose squeezed his hand, giving him a sympathetic smile and his heart went out to her. How she could be so strong after all she'd been through… It never failed to amaze him.

----

The world was fuzzy and brown, and nothing quite made sense. There was a funny green glow over there, just a little bit. Ooh, there's a funny thing there… Oh, it's only a foot… The Doctor was regaining consciousness slowly, and his brain wasn't quite functioning properly yet. Everything appeared strange and bemusing, and he became quickly fascinated with his pockets. His hand went in and vanished… Back out, and there it was! What fun! It took him several minutes to get bored of this and actually wonder what he was doing on the floor and where he was. Ah! Of course. He was in the TARDIS and he'd just blown up the Universe. Oh, hold on. That's not right…

He painfully got to his feet and touched the tender lump that was forming on the back of his head. What had happened? He'd pulled the lever and then darkness had consumed him. Had he died? In a moment of panic the Doctor ran his hands over his body and face. Nope, still the same man; he hadn't regenerated. Can't have been too bad. Had it worked then? Had the planet been sent back into the Void? The Doctor bounded over to the door and swung it open. He grasped the sides of the doorway, frowning in confusion. The planet was there, or what was left of it anyway. It was dusty and crumbling, large chunks breaking away and hurtling through the sky before landing with a great crash, clouds of dust billowing up from the impact.

He was thoroughly disorientated now. If it hadn't worked then it should've blasted both he and the TARDIS into nothing. But glancing behind he saw that the TARDIS appeared to be perfectly fine.

"What?" he demanded and the TARDIS burbled in response. He sighed. Well, if she wasn't going to be any help then he'd have to investigate for himself. He strode over to the console, gingerly pressing a few buttons. No explosions, so she was clearly unaffected by the events. He set the coordinates and clung on, ready to make the short journey back to Pogon's surface.

----

At last the shaking and crashing stopped. Jack peered out from under the table tentatively and waited several moments before carefully extricating himself. Theta was whimpering and Rose held him close, a steely expression upon her face. Jack noticed that she looked tired and drained, and was looking a lot older from all the stress. He climbed carefully over large piles of rubble, gazing around at the mess. He sighed, before choking and spluttering.

"Rose, don't breathe in," he gasped, rubbing at his throat as he coughed. "Air's full o' dust and crap."

He bent over, gasping for breath until the choking coughs subsided. Frowning he made his way out of the remnants of their house and stepped outside. The planet of Pogon was almost unrecognisable. The beautiful blue ground was hidden by layers of brown dust, dirt, rubble and debris. The lavender sky was dark with clouds, but no sign of the planet or scarring was visible. Houses had been smashed to almost nothing, but some were relatively unharmed and mostly intact. With a weary sigh Jack began to call out.

"It's safe! Come out if you can! If anyone is injured or trapped, stay where you are."

The inhabitants of Pogon slowly emerged. They walked, limped and staggered towards Jack, gathering around him with relief etched on their features. Some had cuts and bruises on their bodies, blood drying on their pale blue bodies, but they were all smiling. Jack felt a sudden overwhelming urge to cry at all the strength, courage, bravery that he was seeing. His view on the world was changing continuously, and he was inspired.

"You survived," he started, voice cracking with emotion. "We survived. And bloody hell it feels good to be alive."

There was an approving murmur from the gathered aliens and Jack had to bite back the tears before continuing.

"There are still others who are trapped and injured, so it's our job as survivors to find them and help them. Let's get to work."

The determined individuals marched off, ready to rescue, and Jack was about the follow when he heard a wonderfully familiar sound. The grating whooshing sound filled the air and Jack could no longer contain his emotions. He fell to the ground, tears cascading down his cheeks as he revelled in the magnificent sound of love, safety, second chances. The sound of the Universe. The TARDIS.

"Doctor," the captain sobbed as he watched the Time Lord step outside. Concern was immediately apparent on the Doctor's face and he raced over to the captain's side.

"Jack, what's happened?" he demanded, placing a hand gently on Jack's shaking shoulder. "Are you alright? Is it Rose? Theta? What's happened dammit!"

"We survived," Jack choked, unable to stop the flow of tears. "We did it. We made it…"

The Doctor was speechless as Jack clung to him, crying desperately. They'd survived… They'd survived! And it really hit him then. He began to laugh and leapt to his feet, dragging the captain up with him.

"We survived!" he cried, laughing manically. "Jack, we did it! We made it! Ha!"

And then Jack was joining in with the laughter. The two men clung to each other, laughing hysterically and grinning with the pure joy of being alive. The simple things one took for granted. Air in the lungs, blood in the veins, the thudding heart beats. They were alive, and it was fantastic. And then Jack was kissing him.

"Mkuh," the Doctor said incoherently against Jack's persisting lips. He tried to protest but soon realised that nothing would put the captain off, so gave in and responded. Naturally, Rose chose this moment to step outside to see what all the fuss was. She stood there and gaped, clutching Theta to her chest in shock. The baby gurgled in protest and she quickly loosened her grasp slightly, not taking her eyes off the snogging couple in front of her.

"Doctor…" she whispered, wondering if she was perhaps delirious. Suddenly her mind was made up. "Jack!"

The angry shout made both men pull away quickly and whip around in shock. There was Rose, fury on her face, storming towards them. Jack lifted his hands in a surrendering gesture, but instead had a baby thrust at him. He quickly grabbed Theta and watched in mild amusement as Rose let loose a full Tyler slap.

"Ow!" the Doctor cried, rubbing his cheek and glaring at her. "D'you mind?"

"You…" Rose paused, trying to find the right words. "You… Oh, stuff it."

She glared at him for a moment longer before grabbing his tie and pulling him forcefully towards her, slamming her lips against his. She kissed him with such passion and force that the Doctor was almost knocked off his feet. Quickly regaining his balance he let his arms snake around the woman's waist and pulled her close against him. Jack grinned and rocked Theta, unable to stop the elation bubbling up in his chest. Life was perfect right now.

"Doctor," Rose said when at last she pulled away. "Why were you snogging Jack?"

"Ah, in actual fact he was snogging me," the Doctor said matter-of-factly. Rose shook her head before breaking into a grin.

"And you weren't resisting. Ah well, at least you didn't pull away when I snogged you. I'd really start to worry if you did that."

"Two snogs in less than five minutes," the Doctor mused. "It really is my lucky day."

**TBC…**

**Yeah, I think it's gonna be second last, this chapter. Please review and let me know what you thought and why, and if there's anything you'd like to see in the next (last) chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Yes, this is the final chapter. Sob. This chapter was an absolute joy to write, which probably explains why it's so long. I hope you all enjoyed it, and thank you to everyone who read it and reviewed. Cheers.**

**Chapter Seventeen. **

Happily ever after had never existed for Rose Tyler, and it wasn't about to start now. They still had the TARDIS, and there were a million other planets out there that needed saving from all sorts of things. The Doctor wouldn't never settle down, so neither would Rose. She'd stay with him, and follow him wherever he went. Forever.

"Rose!" She spun around as her name was called. It was Jack. "How're you doing?"

"I'm fine, Jack," she said with a smile. "And so is Theta."

It had been several weeks since the Earth had crumbled and all the buildings had been restored, the inhabitants of Pogon settling back down to their normal way of life. Thankfully there hadn't been any deaths, and that frightful day had almost been forgotten. Almost.

Jack wandered over to stand at Rose's side, peering into the cot at the happily gurgling baby. Theta was a gorgeous child, and he gazed up at them with soulful brown eyes framed by long dark lashes. He had soft brown hair and was pretty as a picture. Jack wondered whether he looked more like Rose had done as a child, or the other Doctor.

"Rose, we need to talk."

She sighed. She'd known this was coming. Jack tried to bring it up every time they were alone, and she hated talking about it because she never knew what to say. How could she explain herself? She certainly couldn't explain the Doctor's behaviour either, as that was what confused her the most.

"Jack, I've told you," she said mournfully. "I don't know anything, and I don't wanna talk about it."

"But I just don't understand!" he said, throwing up his hands to emphasise the point. "I was so sure that the Doctor loved you, and I know that you love him. Especially after you both kissed that day… I don't get why you're practically ignoring each other now."

"He started it," Rose mumbled moodily. "I just did the same."

"Which made everything worse," Jack pointed out. "The past fortnight he's been moodier than a hormonal teenager."

Rose snorted.

"Ooh, he's smiling."

Theta had smiled his first smile three days after the crumbling Earth incident, and it was still a novelty to see his cheeky little smile lighting up that soft precious face, filled with such innocence. Soon Theta drifted off again into the land of dreams and Rose sighed. She desperately wanted a father figure for her child, and she knew that Jack would always stand by them but somehow she wasn't satisfied. She wanted the Doctor.

"Where d'you think he is?" Rose asked wistfully. The Doctor had taken to disappearing for hours at a time, often coming back with smears of dirt on his face and clothes, looking exhausted. Rose had assumed that he was working on the TARDIS but when she'd stepped inside and called out there was no answer, no sign of him.

"He's probably still helping the locals rebuild their houses."

"But that was finished over a week ago," Rose pointed out. "And when everyone was helping with that, he was nowhere in sight. Remember?"

"Yeah," Jack said thoughtfully. "Very suspicious. But I'm sure he'll tell us in his own time."

"Never understood that bloke."

"He is an alien, don't forget."

Suddenly the door swung open with a bang and there was the Doctor, looking madder than ever. His hair was sticking up at all angles, he was breathing heavily and there was a frenzied gleam in his eyes as he grinned ludicrously.

"Come with me!" he practically shouted. "I have something to show you! Bring Theta!"

Jack and Rose exchanged a glance but didn't argue, scooping up the bleary-eyed baby and hurrying out the door. The Doctor skipped, bounced and bounded his way through the street, singing God Save The Queen at the top of his lungs. Rose felt her heart racing wildly, wondering if he'd bumped his head. She glanced at Jack from the corner of her eye and saw that he was clearly thinking the same thing. Theta stared in wonder at the strange man in front of him, his chubby baby's fingers clutching at Rose's collar. None of them noticed that the TARDIS was missing from her usual spot.

They walked for almost ten minutes, right out of the city and through the bright blue fields of grass. After a while Rose looked up and saw a large house in the distance. It was several stories tall and more like a mansion than a house. As they got closer Rose saw that it had a neat front garden, balconies, a veranda and a fenced in backyard. The Doctor had quietened now and silently led them through the gate into the backyard. Rose gaped at the sight. There was a small plastic paddling pool, swings, a children's play set complete with a little slide, and even an outdoor entertaining area. It was the place she'd always imagined she'd have if she married a rich man and started a family. And there was the TARDIS, standing proudly in the corner.

"It's so…" she struggled to find the right words. "It's… perfect."

"_Domestic_, is the word you're looking for Miss Tyler."

"Doctor, whose house is this?" Jack asked.

"Come inside," the Time Lord answered mysteriously.

They followed him through the back door and Rose noted the attractively tiled floor, the pristine kitchen, the sun shining through the curtained windows. She breathed in deeply and could smell that freshly painted smell of a brand new house that hadn't been lived in yet. They made their way into the living room and Rose smiled. There were lovely paintings hung on the walls, soft carpet, comfortable looking sofas, and a huge television with a sound system.

"Not bad," Jack said approvingly as he checked out the wide screen TV and all its gadgets.

Rose noticed that there were a number of photographs sitting on top of the TV cabinet and strolled over to see who lived here. She was not prepared for what she saw, and almost dropped Theta in her shock. She was staring at herself. There, in the golden frame, was a photo of herself. It had been taken several years ago, but it was most definitely her. Why did these people have a picture of her? She glanced at the next one and saw that it was of Jack, looking handsome in his Captain's uniform. The next one made Rose angry. It was of Theta, only days after he'd been born. Who did these people think they were, taking photos without permission?!

"Doctor," Rose said angrily, spinning around to face him. "Who lives here?"

"No one," he replied smugly. "Yet."

"There are photos of Theta! And Jack, and me!"

"Rose," Jack said slowly. "That big photo there… Did you see it?"

Rose turned back to the photos, and she saw a large elaborate wooden frame. She stepped over to look at it, dreading what she might see. Her blood went cold. It was the photo she'd had in her room in the TARDIS. It had gone missing one day and she'd never figured out where it had gone. Someone must have snuck in there and stolen it. But who? And why?

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at it. It was her most treasured photograph, taken that Christmas when the Doctor had regenerated. Jackie had taken the photo and Rose had her suspicions that it was only because the Doctor was extremely attractive, but they'd posed nevertheless. The Doctor had his arms wrapped protectively around Rose's waist and they'd both been smiling deliriously.

"Doctor," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion as she turned to face him. "What's going on?"

There was no hint of amusement left, and Rose's heart skipped a beat at the intensely serious expression he wore. Jack took a step forward, clearing his throat.

"Rose, I'm gonna take Theta outside for some fresh air…"

Rose barely heard him, and he gently took the baby, giving them both a quick glance before stepping outside. Now they were alone.

"Rose," the Doctor said, his voice so quiet that it was almost a growl under his breath. "For the past few weeks I've been coming here, and building this house."

"What, on your own?" she asked dubiously, and the Doctor shook his head.

"I've had help from a few locals."

"But why?" she demanded. "Who did you build it for?"

"Us, Rose!" he said emphatically. "Us! You and me! And Jack, and Theta, of course."

"I… I don't understand."

The Doctor sighed as he rolled his eyes in frustration. "Rose Tyler, I swore I'd never become domestic. But this house has got carpets and curtains, windows and doors, sinks and even a dishwasher!"

The look on his face was a picture of disgust, but his eyes were shining with emotion. "I swore I'd never become domestic Rose. But then I met you."

He stepped forward and took hold of Rose's hands in his own, looking deeply into her eyes. All of a sudden she realised what was happening. This house was for her… He'd built it for her, for them… He loved her…

"Doctor," she whispered before breaking down into a flood of tears. She flung her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his chest, the sobs shaking her whole body as she cried. When at last the crying fizzled out Rose pulled away. She gazed up at the Doctor through watery eyes and was surprised to see the tears that filled his eyes also.

"Rose," he said, voice shaking with raw emotion, "I don't believe in love at first sight. When I first met you I was a different man and I thought you were just like all the rest. It took me a while to respect you, even longer to admire you, and it took me until those last few moments we had to realise how I honestly felt."

He paused, snuffling slightly and wiping his sleeve across his eyes.

"Rose Tyler," he continued and she felt her stomach do back flips. "I want to be domestic with you. I want to cook breakfast for you, read the morning paper with you, spill coffee on the floor and have you yell at me because you only washed it the day before. I want to find layers of dust on the windowsill and complain that you don't do the housework often enough. I want smudges on the windows and I want the wind to howl through the gaps in the doors."

He was on a roll now and Rose was too mesmerised to stop him. "I want to fix the washing machine when it breaks down. I want to check the mail and complain about the bills. I want to watch you curse at the oven when our dinner gets burnt. I want to see your wet hair coil around your perfect face when you step out of the shower. I want to be kept awake by your snoring. I want to wake up every morning and roll over to see you gazing back at me, smiling."

"Doctor," she started, but he ignored her.

"I want us to fight, to argue, to disagree, to make up, to hold each other, to hang the washing out together, to do the gardening and the vacuuming and peel the potatoes while we discuss who got voted off Big Brother the night before. I want us to take photos of Theta growing up, to take photos of each other, snapshots and memories. I want to go to work, to come home from work, to sit at the table with you and Jack to discuss the day, and smile at Theta in his highchair. I want domestic, Rose Tyler, and I want it with you."

He finally finished and gasped for breath, looking at Rose apprehensively. She smiled fondly at him, wrapping her arms around him in a warm hug. She could feel his hearts racing rapidly and realised that he was waiting for some sort of response. She pulled back and gazed up at him tenderly.

"Doctor. I want to be domestic with you. I want to grow old in this house, with you by my side. I want to sit on the veranda, every day, watching the sun set with you. I want to hold your hand, forever. More importantly, I want you to raise Theta. I want you to be his father, and to be there every day, teaching him. I want you to raise him as your own, because I could never imagine any other man as Theta's father. You are the only one, Doctor."

The Doctor stared, open-mouthed, at Rose with tears filling his dark eyes. "Rose," he whispered. "You have no idea how much that means to me. My Rose…"

He moved forward and swept Rose up into his arms, holding her tightly against him and pressing kisses against her soft blond hair. She snuggled in closer to him and sighed.

"My Doctor."

"Shall we go outside?"

Rose grinned. "Sure. Our backyard."

They strolled, hand in hand, out into the backyard. Jack was sitting on the swings, singing, as a giggling Theta was bounced on his lap. The captain glanced up at the happy couple and grinned.

"Did you tell him?" he said, addressing Rose, and the Doctor gave an inquisitive glance at the woman beside him. She blushed furiously and shook her head.

"Rose?" the Doctor queried and she shot a death stare at Jack, who positively cringed.

"I'm sorry," she said with a deep breath. "I didn't know how to tell you…"

"Tell me what?" he demanded, hearts racing in panic.

"When I was on the other world," she started, fiddling anxiously with her sleeves, "Pete's World, as you called it. I worked for Torchwood… and…"

She took a deep breath, readying herself for the confession.

"I got shot."

The Doctor frowned and she continued, hurriedly explaining what happened.

"It was after work one day and I was walking home. I was alone and someone shot me. Twice, from behind. I didn't see their face; they were too cowardly. But I could feel blood filling up my lungs and I couldn't breathe. Knew I was dying."

The Doctor stared at her, his face stricken with panic.

"Then somethin' happened. There was like this golden glow, and I heard the TARDIS. She was singing to me. Some sort of song, about the Bad Wolf. I felt like I was floating. Then I woke up."

She took a deep shuddering breath. "I didn't even have any scars. 'Course, I didn't tell anyone about it. They would've done all these tests, locked me up. Doctor, what does it mean?"

She stared up at him, fear and trepidation in her eyes and watched the different emotions pass over the Doctor's features. At last he sighed wearily and his eyes met hers.

"Rose," he said with a strained voice, "I'll have to run some tests but I'm pretty sure… you're like Jack… you can't die."

"You mean, like ever?" she asked timidly.

"I can't be sure, but I believe so."

"Is that a good thing?"

The Doctor broke into a grin and swept her up into his arms. "Rose Tyler, it's a terrible thing in the long run. But for now? We're together, and it's gonna be forever!"

With a laugh Rose stood on her tiptoes and kissed the Doctor, a long tantalising kiss to which he responded immediately. It was perfect, even with the retching sounds coming from Jack's direction. At last they broke apart and wandered over to Jack and Theta, grinning madly.

"So, we're a family now," Rose pointed out. "All four of us. Domestic."

"What d'you think it'll be like?" Jack asked and the Doctor grinned.

"It is gonna be…"

"Fantastic," they all chorused before breaking into wild laughter.

_Epilogue._

Rose unlocked the front door and marched in, carrying the sleeping baby in her arms. Jack and the Doctor trudged in after her, shutting the door behind them. Rose noted with amusement that both the men moaned with relief as they removed their ties and collapsed on the sofa.

"I need a strong drink," Jack whined. "Any idea how long it's been since I wore a suit?"

"Don't worry, I'm not used to wearing a dress," Rose said amicably as she propped Theta up against a pillow and produced a camera.

"I don't think Theta likes his dress much either," the Doctor joked and Jack snorted.

"Stop it, you two," Rose scolded and snapped several photos. They'd just returned from Theta's christening, which had been conducted in the city centre of Pogon. It had been a big event and all the locals had attended, fascinated by this old Earth tradition.

"Theta Jack Sigma-Tyler," the Doctor murmured aloud as he gazed at his son. "My boy. My precious little boy…"

"Talking to himself again, Rose," Jack pointed out. "He's insane."

"And you're not?" she countered, causing Jack to snort derisively. Everything was perfect, a happy little family. The Doctor dragged himself to his feet and pulled Rose into his arms.

"Frankly, I think we're all quite mad," he said before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. "And you, Rose Tyler, are everything I ever dreamed."

And as they kissed, pure love and adoration in their souls, that word whispered through the stars like a sigh. _Everything_…

**The End. **

**A/N: I really hope you all enjoyed this. I'm thinking of writing a sequel, what do you reckon? Let me know if you'd like to see that, and give me some suggestions. Also, please add me to your Author Alerts so that you'll know when the sequel is up. **

**Please review and let me know what you thought. **

**Again, thanks to everyone who read this, and especially to those of you who reviewed. :D **


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